ANEXO DOCUMENTAL

Due to the conflicting literature with regard to changes over time associated with dispositional coping (see Schwarzer & Schwarzer, 1996, and Krohne, 1993 for a discussion), hypotheses were not generated in this section. Instead a research question was proposed which was investigated via a series of paired t-tests17:

4. Do coping styles, adaptational strategies, or prose literacy scores change over time?

5.6.1 Data screening

The assumptions of t-tests were explored for fit with all the variables as applicable. All

variables were measured on a continuous scale and were derived from scores based on independent observations. Skewness, kurtosis, and Shapiro-Wilk statistics were calculated and histograms inspected for all the variables. Literacy level at time two and emotion-focused coping at time one deviated from normality. Both literacy variables met the assumption of normality following a reflect and square root transformation while both emotion-focused coping variables met the assumption following a logarithmic transformation. The difference scores between time one and time two scores on each variable (the transformed versions where applicable) were all normally distributed.

5.6.2 t-tests

Paired t-tests found, on average, emotion-focused coping scores decreased and adaptability

17_{Patterns of change, for example, whether literacy score changed in a predictable pattern with coping}

score over time, were not explored. Prior research argues that hypotheses of this nature cannot be adequately explored with data collected at less than three time points (Singer & Willett, 2003).

scores decreased significantly over time. Average literacy scores increased significantly over time, while problem-focused coping scores did not differ significantly from time one to time two. The findings are presented in Table 12.

Table 12

Change in coping style, adaptability, and prose literacy from time one to time two

Variable M SD t df p r SP Emotion-focused coping Time one 43.25 10.35 Time two 41.04 10.25 2.06 47 .05 .29 .41 Problem-focused coping Time one 78.33 11.12 Time two 77.98 9.83 .95 47 .35 .14 .17 Adaptability Time one 97.07 16.82 Time two 90.17 18.03 3.23 47 .002 .43 .67 Prose literacy Time one 290.00 27.46 Time two 307.92 36.32 8.24 45 <.001 .78 .99 5.6.3 Summary

Problem-focused coping scores did not change significantly over time; however, prose literacy scores increased significantly from time one to time two. Emotion-focused coping scores and adaptability scores decreased significantly over the time between the first and second assessments.

5.7G

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At six months post-course a telephone interview with each participant was conducted to determine if the goals outlined in the prior interviews (at the end of the course and at three months post-course) were achieved or not achieved.

Post-course goals were a combined measure of achievement of goals regardless of their nature (either employment goals or further study). Data from 41 participants was used in this analysis. An employment goal achievement was defined as the report of part-time or full-time employment following a prior report of the wish to move into some form of employment (at the end-of-course or third-month interview mark). Information on this aspect was gathered from 37 participants. Participants who were already in employment at the first interview and did not intend to change their employer after the course were not included in the variable (i.e., their data was treated as missing). An achieved result with regard to study goals was defined as a report of movement into a part- or full-time programme of study (regardless of the field) following a prior report of the wish to undertake further study. If a participant had not expressed a desire to undertake further study, the participant’s data were treated as missing. Information from 22 participants was included in the overall goal achievement variable. Some participants had both study and employment goals. In this case if one was achieved the participant was added to the achieved category of the overall measure.

Due to the small sample size goal achievement could not be split by employment and study factors. Regression analyses were, therefore, carried out with the combined overall goal achievement variable.

A logistic regression was proposed to answer the following research question and hypotheses:

5. Are coping styles, prose literacy score, and/or adaptational responses associated with achievement of post-course goals?

Hypothesis nine: High problem-focused coping scores at time two will be associated with

post-course goal achievement at six months while low problem-focused coping scores will be associated with non-achievement.

Hypothesis ten: High emotion-focused coping scores at time two will be associated with

non-achievement of post-course goals at six months while low emotion-focused coping scores will be associated with achievement.

Hypothesis eleven: High adaptability scores at time two will be associated with post-

course goal achievement at six months while low adaptability scores will be associated with non-achievement.

Hypothesis twelve: High prose literacy scores at time two will be associated with post-

course goal achievement at six months while lower prose literacy scores will be associated with non-achievement.

5.7.1 Variables

5.7.1.1 Potential confounds

Four variables were identified that could affect the relationship between the IVs and DV. These were: ‘overall time in the course’, ‘type of course’, ‘time out of the course before the second assessment’, and ‘formal educational level’ (all dichotomous variables). Chi-Square tests of independence were unable to be conducted on the relationships between these variables and the DV because of a violation of the cell count assumption in each case. Therefore, Table 13 shows phi coefficients as indicators of the strength of the relationships (Tabachnick & Fidell, 2007; Pallant, 2007).