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Psychosocial functioning among people experiencing developmental transition in young adulthood
Millová, Katarína ; Blatný, Marek
Theoretical background: In the research, we studied the psychosocial context of the developmental transition during young adulthood. We stem from the Arnett´s model of emerging adulthood, where we focused on the dimension of feeling „in between” (subjective developmental status). Objectives: The aim of the study was to compare young people with different subjectively perceived developmental status with respect to the characteristics of psychosocial functioning. Sample: The sample comprised 2025 university students (658 men) in emerging adulthood between 18-27 years (mean age 21.76 years) who participated in online research. Methods: In addition to subjectively perceived developmental status (feeling of immaturity – in between stage - full adulthood), we also examined emotional and social competences (SSI, Riggio & Carney, 2003), coping strategies (BriefCOPE, Carver, 1997) and planned life goals. Main findings: Young people who have subjectively experienced feeling of “in between” were different from immature and fully adult people, especially in areas of future life planning, emotional control and social sensitivity (SSI), and strategies of active coping, planning, humor, acceptance, denial, use of emotional and instrumental support, behavioral disengagement and self-blame (BriefCOPE).
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Generativity and stagnation in middle adults in the relation to characteristics of family of origin
Millová, Katarína
The aim of the research was to examine the relationship between generativity, stagnation and characteristics of family of origin (parental SES, parent-child relationship and family type). We proceeded from McAdams and de St. Aubin´s model of generativity and Bradley´s model of stagnation and own family typology (harmonious, average, disharmonic, and incomplete family). Participants (N=77, 52-54 years, 33 men) are part of Brno Longitudinal Study and completed battery of questionnaires measuring stagnation (BSS), generative concern (LGS) and action (GBC). Characteristics of family of origin were examined during their childhood and adulthood: parental SES (education and occupation) and type of the family (10 years), parent-child relationship (15 years), and retrospective parent-child interaction (47-49 years). People from harmonious families achieved significantly higher levels of generativity and lower levels of stagnation. Participants with higher educated mothers achieved higher levels of generative action. In the area of parent-child interaction we found significant negative relationship only between stagnation and retrospective assessed parental involvement.
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Generativity in young adulthood: Pilot study
Millová, Katarína ; Lacko, D. ; Pástorová, I. ; Pecková, A.
Generativity as creativity, productivity, and care for other people or transmitting values to future generations is an important developmental task that should be completed during adulthood. Young adulthood is very important for its development since some aspects may reach its peak just at the beginning of adulthood. The aim of the research was to gain insight into generativity in young adulthood in the context of other personality characteristics. Sample consisted of 54 university students (24 women, average age 21.4 years) who completed the online questionnaire: LGS - generative concern, GBC - generative behavior, Gen-Current – generativity structure, Inventory of the Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood, Social SOC Questionnaire, and Self-Concept Clarity Scale. Generativity - Current Questionnaire has been used in the sample of young adults for the first time. It describes social, cultural, technical and environmental generativity. Factor analysis (varimax rotation) did not confirm the existence of these types as individual factors. Correlation analysis revealed a relationship between generativity and experimentation/possibilities, self-focus (LGS and Gen-Current), other-focus (Gen-Current), /nand social self-regulation (GBC, Gen-Current). For self-concept clarity was confirmed no significant relationship. We have not identified any gender differences in generativity. The strongest predictor of generativity was social self-regulation (generative concern), experimentation/possibilities (generative action) and self-focus (generativity structure).
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From the Great Depression to the Globalization: Benefits and pitfalls of longitudinal studies observing humans in a society in transition
Millová, Katarína
Historical events, such as wars, changes in political systems or economic changes may take a relatively short time, but their impact can be very dramatic. The result is long-term changes not only in the transition society itself, but also on the individual level. A man's life is influenced by them variously, often according to age at which the change occurred. In addition to social aspects of one's life, psychological aspects are also affected (subjective well-being, values, aspirations, etc.). Most of the macro-social changes cannot be predicted sufficiently long time ahead. Thus, most of longitudinal studies examining changes in psychological characteristics before the transition and after it were more or less fortuitous. Therefore, only a few longitudinal studies had the opportunity to capture the dynamics of changes in psychological characteristics of ordinary people living in societies that have undergone some macro-social change.
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Self-regulation strategies in adulthood: Selection, optimization, and compensation in emerging and middle adulthood
Millová, Katarína
Self-regulation strategies are important especially during periods when a person goes through different life transitions. The extent to which they are used in life course is changing. This study (N = 185; 109 young adults, aged 20 to 25 years; 76 middle-aged adults, aged 47 to 50 years) was based on Baltes' theory of selective optimization with compensation (SOC). In both age groups we investigated the employment of three self-regulation mechanisms: selection, optimization, and compensation (i.e. life-management strategies). In general, young adults tended to use all of these strategies less than middle-aged adults. Their level of elective selection and compensation was below average. On the contrary, middle-aged adults were more likely to employ especially loss-based selection and optimization. Between-subject t test revealed significant differences between young adults and middle-aged adults in elective selection (t = -1,93; p < 0,01), loss-based selection (t = -1,52; p < 0,01), and optimization (t = -2,22; p < 0,01). No differences were found in compensation. In all detected significant differences, older group reached higher. Our results support previous findings of increased use of life-management strategies in middle-aged adults. They also bring some insight into the dynamics of these strategies over the life course.
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Character strengths in the context of life-management strategies
Millová, Katarína ; Slezáčková, A. ; Blatný, Marek
In our study we came out of the assumption that life-management strategies (selection, optimization and compensation) significantly contribute to the human strengths. The aim was to determine to what extent these strategies explain the strengths (e.g., hope, gratitude, curiosity) even when we include personality traits (extraversion, neuroticism). We obtained data from 83 participants of Brno Longitudinal Study (BLS; 48 women, 47-50 years old). We used the following methods: SOC Questionnaire (SOC), Eysenck Personality Inventory (EOD), Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), Adult Hope Scale, Grit and Ambition Scale, Curiosity and Exploration Inventory (CEI II) and Strengths Use and Current Knowledge Scale (SUCK). Regression analysis showed that the life-management strategies (especially optimization) were significant predictors of all investigated human strengths. Even after inclusion of extraversion and neuroticism explain these strategies significantly more variability, concretely in hope, curiosity and grit. It seems that human strengths are connected not only with personality variables, but also with self-regulatory characteristics.
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Psychological predictors and correlates of subjectively assessed health problems: a longitudinal perspective
Slezáčková, Alena ; Millová, Katarína ; Blatný, Marek ; Jelínek, Martin
The study examines the psychological correlates of health problems in people of middle age and their predictors in adolescence. The sample consisted of 74 participants (32 men and 42 woman aged from 41 to 44 years) who participate in the longitudinal study running from 1961. An analysis of data obtained using the methods EPI, SOC, NEO, TCI, Logo-test and Health questionnaire revealed that the most significant predictor of health problems in adulthood is extraversion at age 16. We found in middle age connections between psychosomatic problems and the degree of extraversion, neuroticism, Sense of Coherence and self-directedness. Specific health problems (pain, shortness of breath) in middle age are also connected to the degree of existential frustration and self-directedness. The results of this study highlight the importance of studying the psychological correlates and predictors of health status of individuals in adulthood.
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Predictors of career orientation from the perspective of 50 year longitudinal study
Millová, Katarína ; Blatný, Marek ; Jelínek, Martin ; Šolcová, Iva
The study deals with the psychological and environmental predictors and correlates of career orientation in middle adulthood. The sample consisted of 74 participants (32 men, 42 women; 41-44 years) who participate in the longitudinal study running from 1961. Atmosphere in the family of origin, intelligence and school success at 12 years predict only educational level in adulthood, but not career orientation indexed by stability of career line and long-term unemployment. Concurrently, educational level in adulthood is slightly related to career orientation. The stability of career line, is influenced also by personality characteristics measured in middle adolescence, especially by extraversion. Highly extraverted adolescents had variable (but not unstable) career line in their middle adulthood. Career orientation was associated with risk behavior and with sense of coherence: risk behavior was connected to long-term unemployment and sense of coherence to stability of career line.
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