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THE ROLE OF SELF-DISCREPANCY IN GENERATING FUTURE ANXIETY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
Corresponding Author(s) : Basem Mohammed Al-Ferhat
Humanities & Social Sciences Reviews,
Vol. 7 No. 6 (2019): November
Abstract
Purpose of the study: The current study examines the level of self-perception (realism, idealism, and duty) among Yarmouk University students. It also identifies the level of their self-discrepancy and its relation to future anxiety and explores the differences regarding the level of these self-discrepancies and the future anxiety according to the variables of specialization, the level of the study, and GPA. The study argues that while there is a significant statistical negative relationship between the level of future anxiety and the actual self among university students there is no significant statistical correlation between the level of future anxiety and the ideal self and the ought self.
Methodology: The study was conducted on a sample of (200) university students of the Faculty of Education at Yarmouk University. Higgins’ (1987) scale which consists of (30) paragraphs and the scale of future anxiety which consists of (27) paragraphs were applied to the study sample using the descriptive correlational approach.
Main Findings: There were no significant statistical differences regarding the level of self-discrepancy (real/ideal) and (real/due) due to the variables of specialization, the level of study, and the GPA. Also, there were no significant differences regarding the level of future anxiety among Yarmouk University students according to the variables of specialization, the level of study, and the GPA. Yet, there was a statistically significant negative relationship between the level of future anxiety and the actual self.
Applications of this study: Universities across the globe, such as Yarmouk University and the University of Jordan, may find it significant to know that university students have a moderate level of self-perception and do not have a correspondence between the characteristics of the self in its three dimensions. Thus, such universities may need to think of establishing certain training and counseling programs that aim at developing the students' perception of themselves and their understanding of the self.
Novelty/Originality of this study: Considering that a few Arabic studies address future anxiety among university students who will graduate and impact their local communities, the paper points at the need for establishing certain counseling courses that help university students better understand themselves and decide their needs accordingly.
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- Abdul Rahman, Mohammed. (2004). Contemporary Psychology - Cognitive Introduction. Cairo: Arab Thought House.
- Al-Sab'awi, Fadilah. (2008). The future concern of the students of the Faculty of Education and its relation to gender and academic specialization. Journal of Science and Education, University of Mosul, 15 (2), 250-277.https://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=56023.
- Al-Qasri, Yousef. (2002). How to get rid of fear and future anxiety. Cairo: Dar Taif Publishing.
- Al-Mashiki, Ghalib. (2009). The concern of the future and its relation to both self-efficacy and the level of ambition among a sample of students of Taif University. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of um-alqura.http://www.uqu.edu.sa/page/ar/583.
- Al-Anzi, Fallah. (2002). Social Psychology. Riyadh: Technical presses.
- Calogero, M. & Watson, N. (2008). Self–Discrepancy and Chronic Social Self- Consciousness: Unique and Interaction Effects of Gender and Real- Ought Discrepancy. Personality and Individual Differences, 46, 642-647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.01.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.01.008
- Hassan, Mahmoud. (1997). Variables contributing to the behaviour of keeping up with the social responsibility standard. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Mustansiriya University, Iraq.https://uomustansiriyah.edu.iq /dissertations.php?id_dept=120.
- Higgins, E. (1987). Self- Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and affect. Psychological Review,94, 319-340.Accessed on 18/8/2019. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-295X.94.3.319 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-295X.94.3.319
- Higgins, E. (1989). Self- Discrepancy Theory: What Patterns of Self Beliefs Cause People to Suffer? Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 91-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60306-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60306-8
- Tangney, J. P., Niedenthal, P. M., Covert, M. V., & Barlow, D. H. (1998). Are shame and guilt related to distinct self-discrepancies? A test of Higgins's (1987) hypotheses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 256–268. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.256
- Kafafi, Aladdin. (1998). Culture and Psychological Illness: Between Science and Psychological Measurement. Journal of Psychology, Cairo, 12 (46), 6-37.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M3-66KFHzqqXCQ0AyOYU uOabpWzhYly/view?fbclid=IwAR3m2Yc_8kSFgLXxXA7knRvhNsTgiQU7fODaXDnbsf_JPUu2GyGTP8bHqiw.
- Mahamid, Shaker and Al-Basafa, Mohammed. (2007). Professional future anxiety among Jordanian university students and its relationship to some variables. Journal of Educational and Psychological Sciences, University of Bahrain, 8 (3), 127-142.http://search.shamaa.org/PDF/Articles/BAJepsc/3JepscVol8No3Y2007/6JepscVol 8No3Y2007.pdf.
- Mwamwenda, T. (1991). Sex Difference in Self- Concept among African Adolescents. Perceptual and Motor Skills. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1991.73.1.191 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1991.73.1.191
- Osman, Farouk. (2001). Anxiety and stress management. Cairo: Arab Thought House.
- Richard, F., Haase, S & Paul, J. (2004). Trait Shyness Actual- Ought Self- Discrepancy and Discomfort in Social Interaction. Differences,7, 1597-1610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2003.06.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2003.06.008
- Saud, Nahedah. (2005). Effectiveness of counselling program in reducing future anxiety and pessimistic tendencies in a sample of Qassim university students. Dissertated Dissertation, University of Damascus.http://search.shamaa.org/FullRecord?ID=112980.
- Scott, A. & Ohara, M. (1993). Clinically Anxious and Depressed University Students Self Discrepancies. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102(2), 282-287. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.102.2.282 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.102.2.282
- Shukir, Zainab. (2005). Normal and turbulent character. Cairo: Library of the Arab Renaissance.
- Zahran, Hamid. (1997). Mental Health and Psychotherapy. 3rd ed. Cairo: World of Books.
- Zaleski, Z. (1996). Future Anxiety: Concept, Measurement & Preliminary Research. Personal Individual Difference, 21(2), 165-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(96)00070-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(96)00070-0
- Zu'bi, Ahmed. (1997). The level of anxiety as a condition and characterization among Sana'a University students. Journal of the Center for Educational Research, University of Qatar, 6 (12), 105-128.http://www.damascu suniversity.edu.sy.
References
Abdul Rahman, Mohammed. (2004). Contemporary Psychology - Cognitive Introduction. Cairo: Arab Thought House.
Al-Sab'awi, Fadilah. (2008). The future concern of the students of the Faculty of Education and its relation to gender and academic specialization. Journal of Science and Education, University of Mosul, 15 (2), 250-277.https://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=fulltext&aId=56023.
Al-Qasri, Yousef. (2002). How to get rid of fear and future anxiety. Cairo: Dar Taif Publishing.
Al-Mashiki, Ghalib. (2009). The concern of the future and its relation to both self-efficacy and the level of ambition among a sample of students of Taif University. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, University of um-alqura.http://www.uqu.edu.sa/page/ar/583.
Al-Anzi, Fallah. (2002). Social Psychology. Riyadh: Technical presses.
Calogero, M. & Watson, N. (2008). Self–Discrepancy and Chronic Social Self- Consciousness: Unique and Interaction Effects of Gender and Real- Ought Discrepancy. Personality and Individual Differences, 46, 642-647. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.01.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2009.01.008
Hassan, Mahmoud. (1997). Variables contributing to the behaviour of keeping up with the social responsibility standard. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Mustansiriya University, Iraq.https://uomustansiriyah.edu.iq /dissertations.php?id_dept=120.
Higgins, E. (1987). Self- Discrepancy: A Theory Relating Self and affect. Psychological Review,94, 319-340.Accessed on 18/8/2019. https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-295X.94.3.319 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037//0033-295X.94.3.319
Higgins, E. (1989). Self- Discrepancy Theory: What Patterns of Self Beliefs Cause People to Suffer? Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 91-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60306-8 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60306-8
Tangney, J. P., Niedenthal, P. M., Covert, M. V., & Barlow, D. H. (1998). Are shame and guilt related to distinct self-discrepancies? A test of Higgins's (1987) hypotheses. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1), 256–268. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.256. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.75.1.256
Kafafi, Aladdin. (1998). Culture and Psychological Illness: Between Science and Psychological Measurement. Journal of Psychology, Cairo, 12 (46), 6-37.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M3-66KFHzqqXCQ0AyOYU uOabpWzhYly/view?fbclid=IwAR3m2Yc_8kSFgLXxXA7knRvhNsTgiQU7fODaXDnbsf_JPUu2GyGTP8bHqiw.
Mahamid, Shaker and Al-Basafa, Mohammed. (2007). Professional future anxiety among Jordanian university students and its relationship to some variables. Journal of Educational and Psychological Sciences, University of Bahrain, 8 (3), 127-142.http://search.shamaa.org/PDF/Articles/BAJepsc/3JepscVol8No3Y2007/6JepscVol 8No3Y2007.pdf.
Mwamwenda, T. (1991). Sex Difference in Self- Concept among African Adolescents. Perceptual and Motor Skills. https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1991.73.1.191 DOI: https://doi.org/10.2466/pms.1991.73.1.191
Osman, Farouk. (2001). Anxiety and stress management. Cairo: Arab Thought House.
Richard, F., Haase, S & Paul, J. (2004). Trait Shyness Actual- Ought Self- Discrepancy and Discomfort in Social Interaction. Differences,7, 1597-1610. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2003.06.008 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2003.06.008
Saud, Nahedah. (2005). Effectiveness of counselling program in reducing future anxiety and pessimistic tendencies in a sample of Qassim university students. Dissertated Dissertation, University of Damascus.http://search.shamaa.org/FullRecord?ID=112980.
Scott, A. & Ohara, M. (1993). Clinically Anxious and Depressed University Students Self Discrepancies. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 102(2), 282-287. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.102.2.282 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.102.2.282
Shukir, Zainab. (2005). Normal and turbulent character. Cairo: Library of the Arab Renaissance.
Zahran, Hamid. (1997). Mental Health and Psychotherapy. 3rd ed. Cairo: World of Books.
Zaleski, Z. (1996). Future Anxiety: Concept, Measurement & Preliminary Research. Personal Individual Difference, 21(2), 165-174. https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(96)00070-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/0191-8869(96)00070-0
Zu'bi, Ahmed. (1997). The level of anxiety as a condition and characterization among Sana'a University students. Journal of the Center for Educational Research, University of Qatar, 6 (12), 105-128.http://www.damascu suniversity.edu.sy.