Self-care agency is necessary for psychiatric patients to maintain a level of health that will enable them to have a satisfying personal life as well as to participate in their communities. This article discusses some theoretical and operational dimensions of self-care agency in patients treated for psychiatric illness, with an emphasis on self-care agency in mood disorder. Tools for measuring self-care agency based on Orem's power components are available, but tools specific to psychiatric patients' strengths and deficits, such as in the area of medication adherence and symptom management, need to be developed.
BACKGROUND. Social adjustment is often a problem for patients with both bipolar disorder and major depression, particularly after hospital discharge, often contributing to relapse. Bandura (1982) described self-efficacy as addressing the interaction of cognitive, behavioral, and social characteristics that influence health behavior. OBJECTIVE. This study examined the relationship between self-efficacy and social adjustment after hospitalization for patients with a mood disorder. STUDY DESIGN. A descriptive, correlational study with predictive components was conducted. RESULTS. Self-efficacy explained 17% of the variance in social adjustment at the time of discharge and 49% of the variance 2 months posthospitalization in patients with mood disorder. CONCLUSIONS. Self-efficacy influenced social adjustment, particularly after hospital discharge, in this sample of 45 patients treated for mood disorder. Self-efficacy is important for individual's integration in social networks and role functioning and contributes to community adjustment for those with mood disorder.
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