An Application of Personal Investment Theory to Community Health Education Interns (Professional Preparation, Motivation)
Tappe, Marlene Kay
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Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/2142/71069
Description
Title
An Application of Personal Investment Theory to Community Health Education Interns (Professional Preparation, Motivation)
Author(s)
Tappe, Marlene Kay
Issue Date
1986
Department of Study
Health and Safety Studies
Discipline
Health and Safety Studies
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Health
Abstract
The purposes of this study were to (1) delineate the motivational characteristics of health education interns; (2) determine if these characteristics change as a result of the internship experience; (3) delineate the motivational characteristics of internship situations; (4) to assess the relationship between the motivational characteristics of interns and the internship situation; and predict intern personal investment. Personal Investment Theory was chosen to provide the theoretical framework for this investigation. The premise of this cognitive theory is that motivation is influenced by the interaction between the characteristics of both the person and the situation. This theory incorporates three components: the "meaning" or collection of thoughts that the individual holds, the specific context in which the individual is acting, and personal investment. Meaning is comprised of three interrelated facets: personal incentives, sense of self, and perceived options. Context refers to the characteristics of situation that influences these facets of meaning, while personal investment is comprised of internship satisfaction and professional commitment.
Seventy-three health education interns from five major universities participated in the study. The investigation was conducted in three phases. The first two phases involved the administration by mail of the Intern Inventory of Personal Investment. The final phase of the study was a telephone survey of a systematic sample of the interns.
The data were analyzed utilizing Cronbach's alpha, descriptive statistics, dependent sample t-tests, Pearson product-moment correlation, canonical analyses, and multiple regression. These analyses identified the motivational characteristics of interns and internship contexts. Significant differences (p < .05) were found between the interns' pre- and post-internship scores for three of the personal incentive scales. The analysis also allowed for the prediction (p < .05) of personal investment from the motivational characteristics of interns, internship contexts, and the congruencies that exist between the motivational characteristics of interns and internship contexts. The telephone survey results corroborated the results generated by the Intern Inventory of Personal Investment. The results support the utility of the personal investment approach for study of professional field experiences. The information generated can be utilized to further enhance professional preparation programs and field experiences in health education.
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