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Key wordsDysmenorrhea, Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory, path analysis, self-careAbstractPurpose: To test a hypothesized model that examines the relationship between selected basic conditioning factors, self-care agency, and self-care behaviors among adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea using Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory as a framework.Design: This was a predictive correlational study conducted with a total of 531 secondary school girls.Methods: Self-care agency, self-care behaviors, and 11 variables that have been theoretically or empirically justified in previous studies as relevant to basic conditioning factors were selected and collected by means of structured questionnaires. Path analyses were performed to test the hypothesized linkages among variables.Findings: Path analysis revealed that age and received menstrual education had both direct and indirect effects through self-care agency on self-care behaviors. Mother's and father's educational level, pain intensity, and selfmedication used when experiencing dysmenorrhea only affected the self-care behaviors directly.Conclusions: This is the first study that provided information about the relationship between basic conditioning factors, self-care agency, and self-care behaviors among adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea. Knowledge of the factors influencing self-care behaviors in these adolescent girls will assist healthcare professionals in developing effective interventions to promote self-care and ameliorate the adverse impact of this condition.Clinical Relevance: Interventional strategies that aim at promoting self-care behaviors among adolescent girls with dysmenorrhea should strengthen girls' self-care agency and should target those with a younger age, higher pain intensity, mother with a higher educational level, father with a lower educational level, and those who do not take self-medication for dysmenorrhea.Dysmenorrhea is a common menstrual problem among adolescent girls (Banikarim, Chacko, & Kelder, 2000; Bettendorf, Shay, & Tu, 2008). Prevalence rates have been reported ranging from 20% to 90% (Campbell & McGrath, 1999; Davis, Westhoff, O'Connell, & Gallagher, 2006). Dysmenorrhea is a distressing condition affecting not only the academic and social aspects of adolescent girls, but it is also the leading cause of their short-term school absenteeism (Banikarim et al., 2000). Adolescent girls prefer performing self-care to relieve their discomfort instead of seeking medical advice (Chiou & Wang, 2008; Lau, Yu, Cheung, & Leung, 2000). The important role of self-care in relieving dysmenorrhea has also been reported (Cheng & Lin, 2010; Wong & Ip, 2012; Wong, Lai, & Tse, 2010). However, little is known about how adolescent girls exercise self-care and the factors associated with it. Understanding adolescents' self-care behaviors and their associated factors could help healthcare professionals to identify potentially harmful or ineffective behaviors, and therefore formulate appropriate management and education plans (Hillen, Grbacac, Johnston, Straton, Keogh, 1999).This study was guided by Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory. According to Orem (2001), a person initiates and performs self-care for maintaining life, healthful functioning, and well-being. He or she must acquire selfcare agency for self-care, and self-care agency is influenced by basic conditioning factors (BCFs). BCFs include age, gender, developmental state, environmental factors, family system factors, sociocultural factors, health state, pattern of living, healthcare system factors, and availability of resources (Orem, 2001). These BCFs may influence an individual's ability to participate in self-care activities or modify the kind or amount of self-care required. On the basis of Orem's theory and literature review, potential variables of BCFs postulated as influencing self-care behaviors or self-care agency of adolescent girls suffering from dysmenorrhea were identified. … |
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