Relationship between Self-Actualization and Self-Reported Health Practices

Abstract

To compare the reported health practices of high self-actualizing individuals with those of low self-actualizing individuals, 453 students enrolled in personal hygiene classes at a large southern university completed the Personal Orientation Inventory, a measure of self-actualization. The fifty highest scorers were identified as the high self-actualizing group and the 50 lowest scorers were identified as the low self-actualizing group. The two groups were administered the Health Practices Inventory. The high self-actualizing group reported using better health practices.