Predictability of levels of physical and mental health : a 6 months longitudinal study
(2010) HealthMED — Vol. 4, n° 4, p. supp 1 (2010)
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- Purpose: Identify the social, family, personality traits and health locus of control factors which influence physical and mental health, consumption of medications, and frequency of medical consultations. Method twenty participants were included in a two years long longitudinal study. At baseline, participants’ age, gender, family composition, net income, chronic treatments, family dynamics (Family Adaptation and Cohesion Scale), Multidimensional Health Locus of Control, and personality (NEO Personality Inventory) were recorded. Every six months their state of mental and physical health (12 Survey Factors and Hamilton Depression Scale), consumption of medications and number of medical consultations were reassessed. Results: For the period T0 to T6 months, the level of physical health presented the highest level of predictability. At time T0, a four factors model of linear regression including cohesion of family of origin, and of the current couple, open personality, and adaptability of the ideal family explained 82.4% of the variance. At time T6 months, nuclear family cohesion, and neuroticism accounted for 30.3% of the variance. Conclusion: In contrast to what one could expect, the level of physical health appears to be a more predictable variable than the level of mental health. The variables that determine health evolve with time. Further results must confirm these first observations.
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Zdanowicz, N., Lepièce, B., Tordeurs, D., Jacques, D., Janne, P., & Reynaert, C. (2010). Predictability of levels of physical and mental health : a 6 months longitudinal study. HealthMED, 4(4), supp 1. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/125245 (Original work published 2010)