Perceived control of self-evaluation, cognitive adaptation, and mental health
LE3 .A278 2009
2009
Horvath, Peter
Acadia University
Bachelor of Arts
Honours
Psychology
Instability of self-worth (Roberts & Kassel, 1997), as well as contingent self-esteem (Crocker, 2002), have both been considered as vulnerabilities for depressive symptoms. Such vulnerabilities have been linked to motivational orientations such as validation seeking. Cognitive adaptation theory (Taylor, 1983), however, has highlighted that individuals can resist instability of and sharp drops to self-worth by enacting various motivational and cognitive strategies. To further investigate the processes through which mood disorders occur, the present study investigated whether or not the constructs of perception of control over self-worth or self-determination (Deci & Ryan, 2000) mediated the effects of selected motivational orientations including cognitive adaptation and validation seeking on affect and depressive symptoms. Results of hierarchical regression analyses revealed the presence of mediation effects between the selected motivational orientations and positive as well as negative mental health outcomes.
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https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:631
