ABSTRACT
Goodness of fit. Table 7.1 shows that the goodness of fit is of the same order as the production functions for aspects of morale.
Need-related circumstances and risk factors. The effects of capacity to perform daily living acts and of general indicators of low morale are clearly significant. As would be expected, the way in which an incapacity to perform activities of daily living, and the kind of condition that causes aspects of incapacity, are extremely good predictors. They work here much better than for morale and its components itself, where the picture is complicated by the associations between these incapacities and other, more psychological, perceptual, and attitudinal need-related and risk factors. The clarity of the relationship survives the time lag of six months between the predictors and the outcome. Unlike the patterns for general morale and its dimensions, the model suggests that wider environmental problems restrict the degree to which users feel control over their own lives. There is little sign that informal care has buffering effects. Indeed, when caregiver stress is a factor reported by the care manager and (partly no doubt for this reason) users are allocated respite care, users feel that they have less control over their lives.
