Empirical Research
SOME PSYCHOLOGICAL VARIABLES DIFFERENCIATING BETWEEN ADOLESCENTS WITH STEP-PARENTS AND THOSE WITHOUT STEP-PARENTS
By ADENUGA, R. A. Ph. D., ODUSOLE, A. T.
Volume 7 - Issue 4
Dec 7, 2009 - 11:49:05 AM

This study was designed to establish whether self-efficacy, locus of control and life satisfaction would mutually or individually be able to predict adolescents living with their biological parents and those living with their step-parents. The survey design was adopted for the study with data collected from 268 adolescents using three validated research instruments. Rotler’s Locus of scale (Rotler, 1996), Temporal satisfaction with life scale (TSWLS; Pavot, Diener & Suh, 1990) and Generalized self-efficacy scale (Hassan, 2004). A multivariable inferential statistics was used to analyse data; results were tested at 0.05 level of significance. Data breakdown using discriminant function analysis revealed that Locus of Control, life satisfaction and self efficacy would jointly predict and classify adolescent living with both biological parents and those living with a step-parent (WILLKS’ l =.957, canonical correlation squared = .0428; P < .05), Self efficacy would significantly predict and classify adolescent living with both biological parents and those living with a step-parent (WILKS’ l = .967); canonical correlation squared = .0016; P > .05, Life satisfaction would not significantly predict or classify adolescent living with both biological parents and those living with a step-parent (WILKS’ l = .996); canonical correlation squared = .0042; P > .05. Recommendation were made for further studies