Dissertation Abstract

Iowa Radiologic Technologists' Intentions to Participate in Professional Continuing Education.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the problems of nonparticipation in professional continuing education associated with Iowa ARRT certified radiologic technologists. The study was designed to describe attitudinal and social normative concepts related to radiologic technologists' intentions to participate in professional continuing education. Multiple regression analysis was used to develop a model with attitude and social norm, each being expressed in terms of expectancy-value constructs, as the independent variables and intention to participate as the dependent variable.

Attitude and social norm were found to account for 37 percent of the variance in radiologic technologists' intention to participate with attitude contributing slightly more than social norm. Radiologic technologists not intending to participate had significantly lower (alpha (LESSTHEQ) .05) attitude and social norm scores than did radiologic technologists intending to participate. The group not intending to participate demonstrated lower relative belief strength regarding attainment of specific consequences resulting from participation. The group not intending to participate also indicated the perception that significant others (or groups) do not think they should participate in professional continuing education. However, both groups indicated relatively high, and similar, scores valuing the stated goals (consequences) of continuing education. Both groups likewise indicated relatively high, and similar, scores implying strong motivation to comply with the stated significant others (or groups) opinions regarding their participation in professional continuing education. Relative to the two groups, radiologic technologists not intending to participate were found to be staff technologists as opposed to being chief technologists/department heads and being women as opposed to being men. The differences between the groups were significant beyond the .01 level. As a group, radiologic technologists not intending to participate in continuing education, stated there was a lack of sufficient continuing education programs; there was also a lack of topics of interest presented in the programs that were available. These group differences were significant at p < .05.

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