Predictors of a young woman's pregnancy decision: application of the theory of planned behavior

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dc.contributor.authorGulotta, Charles S.en
dc.contributor.committeechairFinney, Jack W.en
dc.contributor.committeememberOllendick, Thomas H.en
dc.contributor.committeememberStephens, Robert S.en
dc.contributor.departmentPsychologyen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T21:27:42Zen
dc.date.adate2009-01-24en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T21:27:42Zen
dc.date.issued1994-12-05en
dc.date.rdate2009-01-24en
dc.date.sdate2009-01-24en
dc.description.abstractThe present study evaluated the applicability of the theory of planned behavior (TRP, Ajzen, 1988: Ajzen and Fishbein) to the prediction and understanding of a young woman's intentions to raise or place her child for adoption. During a woman's second and third trimester of pregnancy self-report measures were administered assessing a woman's intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control about both pregnancy resolution choices (i.e., raising or placing a child for adoption). Participants were 52 Caucasian women (26 who placed; 26 who raised) ranging in age from 15-32 (M =19). In most respects the findings supported the TPB. However, subjective norms did not significantly enter the regression model in predicting behavioral intentions due to the multicollinearity between it and attitudes. Consequently, subjective norms was replaced by its salient measure of normative beliefs in another regression model. This hierarchical regression analyses revealed that attitudes, normative beliefs, perceived behavioral control and age significantly predicted a woman's intention to raise or place her child. A logistic regression revealed that behavioral intention was the single best predictor for the final pregnancy resolution behavior, suggesting that it successfully mediated the influences of all other variables studied. Further analysis revealed that women who placed versus those who raised their children differed on a number of behavioral beliefs, outcome evaluations, normative beliefs, and control beliefs.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.format.extentix, 101 leavesen
dc.format.mediumBTDen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.otheretd-01242009-063202en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-01242009-063202/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/40741en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartLD5655.V855_1994.G856.pdfen
dc.relation.isformatofOCLC# 32457015en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subject.lccLD5655.V855 1994.G856en
dc.subject.lcshAdoption -- United States -- Decision makingen
dc.subject.lcshPrediction (Psychology)en
dc.subject.lcshUnmarried mothers -- United Statesen
dc.titlePredictors of a young woman's pregnancy decision: application of the theory of planned behavioren
dc.typeThesisen
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
thesis.degree.disciplinePsychologyen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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