Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) frequently do not engage in self-care that is essential to their health. Nurses need a systematic way of viewing the self-care behaviors of this population. The purpose of this descriptive multivariate correlational study was twofold: (a) to test Orem's (1991) theoretical propositions about the relationships between selected basic conditioning factors, dimensions of self-care agency, and self-care behaviors, and (b) to determine which basic conditioning factors and dimensions of self-care agency were significant predictors of self-care in adolescents with CF.

Adolescents, ages 12 through 22 years, who were from three large midwestern childrens' medical centers comprised this convenient sample (N = 123). Data were obtained through questionnaires, chart analysis, and interview. The basic conditioning factors examined were age, gender, family income, family socioeconomic status (Hollingshead Four Factor Index of Social Status), egocentric thought (Adolescent Egocentrism-Sociocentrism Scale), satisfaction with family (Family APGAR), and severity of illness (Forced Vital Capacity). The dimensions of self-care agency examined were the foundational capabilities and dispositions of general intelligence (Vocabulary subtest, Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised) and coherent disposition (Sense of Coherence Questionnaire); and the power components (Denyes Self-Care Agency Instrument-90). Universal self-care was measured with the Denyes Self-Care Practice Instrument. The Cystic Fibrosis Self-Care Practice Instrument, was used for measuring health-deviation self-care (Baker, 1991).

Data from this study support the ability of Orem's Theories (1991) of Self-Care and Self-Care Deficit to be both explanatory and predictive of universal and health-deviation self-care. Seventy percent of the variance in universal self-care and forty percent of health-deviation self-care variance was explained. Four variables emerged as predictors of universal self-care: the three power components of ego strength, attention to health, health knowledge and decision-making capability, and the foundational coherent disposition. Attention to health and coherent disposition also were predictors of health-deviation self-care. Although no basic conditioning factors emerged as significant predictors of self-care, the results of this study suggest that basic conditioning factors influence self-care agency indirectly via their influence on self-care. Finally, a strong positive correlation was found between universal and health-deviation self-care. These results provide practice relevant nursing knowledge for promoting the self-care of adolescents with CF.