Dissertation Defenses

Doctoral Dissertation Announcement

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Candidate: Mary Ball

Degree of: Doctor of Philosophy

Department: Counselor Education and Counseling Psychology

Title: The Abortion Attitudes of Counselors, Social Workers, and Nurses in Training

Committee:
Dr. Alan Hovestadt, Chair
Dr. Norman Kiracofe
Dr. Karen Horneffer-Ginter

Date: Monday, March 15, 2010 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
3208 Sangren Hall

Abstract:
This study examines the similarities and dissimilarities in abortion attitudes among counselors (CTs, n=51), social workers (SWTs, n=42), and nurses in training (NTs, n=78), based on profession, age, race, gender, and religion. Data was analyzed using analysis of variance and standard multiple regression. It was expected that profession, religion, age, gender, and race would predict the abortion attitudes of CTs, SWTs, and NTs in training. It was also predicted that the attitudes of CTs and SWTs would be most similar, and that both of these groups would hold more positive abortion attitudes than NTs. The results indicate that religion, age, gender, and race do not significantly predict abortion attitudes in CTs, SWTs, and NTs. The abortion attitudes of CTs, SWTs, and NTs in this study are too similar to reveal the unique contribution of professional socialization on abortion attitudes. The majority of the CTs, SWTs, and NTs were “pro-choice,” as measured by self report and the Reasoning about Abortion Questionnaire (RAQ) (Parsons et al., 1990). This study provides preliminary information on CT, SWT, and NT abortion attitudes, abortion knowledge, and professional ethical positions related to abortion that might be useful to counseling, social work, and nursing training programs.