Scheduled for Health Posters, Friday, April 2, 2004, 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM, Convention Center: Exhibit Hall Poster Session


Wellness and Its Relationship to Self-Concept and Identity Development

Steven R. Murray and Jessica L. Miller, Mesa State College, Grand Junction, CO

Wellness has been defined as "an integrated method of functioning which is oriented toward maximizing the potential of which the individual is capable" (Dunn, 1961) It is multi-faceted, involving six dimensions (i.e., physical, occupational, social, spiritual, intellectual, and emotional) that are enmeshed, related, and when balanced properly via self-awareness and self-responsibility, provides the individual with optimal health or high-level wellness. However, wellness is individualistic, and this aspect of individuality brings up the question of what role self-concept plays in wellness. Additionally, individuals who have achieved an identity may be more likely to maintain high-level wellness. Therefore, do individuals with high levels of self-concept and an achieved identity have higher levels of wellness? The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between wellness and self-concept and identity. Thirty-four undergraduate students (12 males; 22 females) enrolled in an introductory health and wellness course at a Rocky Mountain regional college volunteered to complete three written questionnaires. The questionnaires were Testwell: Wellness Inventory-College Edition (National Wellness Institute, 1993), a 100-item survey that is answered with a 5-point scale assessing 10 subcategories of wellness, the Self-Perception Profile for College Students (Neeman & Harter, 1986), a 54-item instrument that is answered on a 4-point scale assessing 12 categories of self-concept and global self-worth, and the Objective Measure of Ego Identity, a 64-item instrument where questions are answered on a 6-point scale measuring ideological and interpersonal identity development. Pearson correlation coefficients were established between wellness, global self-worth, and the identity development domains. Results reveal that total wellness is significantly positively correlated with global self-worth (r = .69) and identity development for both the ideological (r = .45) and interpersonal domains (r = .44). Additionally, global self-worth was significantly positively related to the ideological domain (r = .50) of identity development. These findings suggest that wellness is linked to both self-concept and identity development. Because many college students are in moratorium with respect to identity development, this may be an ideal time to present information about wellness. And, because self-concept and wellness are related, the idea of self-concept development should be emphasized in promoting wellness.
Keyword(s): wellness/disease prevention

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