Measuring Locus of Control in a Hospital Setting

1985 ◽  
Vol 56 (2) ◽  
pp. 525-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ciporah S. Tadmor ◽  
John E. Hofman

A 6-item health locus-of-control scale was freely adapted from the well known Rotter scale of perceived locus of control to differentiate between individuals who believe that even in a hospital setting they exercise some control over decisions affecting their health and those who look for medical caregivers, doctors, nurses, and technicians to assume external control. Test-retest reliability of the measure developed was 0.81, as obtained from 26 hospital personnel. It was hypothesized that individuals higher in hospital status would be more internally oriented on the measure, i.e., physicians and nurses, than individuals lower in status, such as patients. Confirmation of the hypothesis lent construct validity to the measure and opened the way for its use and further development.

1971 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 403-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
George H. Davis ◽  
David R. Mettee

Ss measuring high or low on the Rotter (1966) I-E Scale were given or denied information about outcome and then asked to aggress against themselves or another unknown S. It was reasoned that the Self for internals and Others for externals (i.e., the perceived locus of control) would be regarded as appropriate aggression targets. Results indicated that internals treated themselves much as externals treated Others (appropriate targets). When the target was inappropriate, internals and externals again reacted similarly but in a very different manner from their reactions to appropriate targets. If success or failure information was provided, aggression against appropriate targets was low and apparently inhibited since these Ss reported high levels of anger following the opportunity to aggress. In the absence of outcome information, appropriate targets received high levels of aggression which apparently drained off some hostility since these Ss reported low levels of anger following aggression. In the case of inappropriate targets, both manifest aggression and reported anger fell between the above extremes irrespective of the information provided Ss.


1987 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 583-589 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie Whitman ◽  
Sharon M. Desmond ◽  
James H. Price

A 12-item Depression Locus of Control Scale was given to 117 white high school students. The scale has three subscales, internal (4 items), chance (4 items), and powerful others (4 items). Reliability assessed by test-retest was .55 and Cronbach alphas were for the subscales listed above .63, .73, and .66, respectively. Content validity, criterion-related validity, construct validity, and discriminant validity were examined. Reading level was at the eighth grade. It is recommended that the more specific Depression Locus of Control Scale be used in studies of depression.


1980 ◽  
Vol 47 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1127-1134 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pamela M. Paine ◽  
Patrick Mahlen O'Neil ◽  
Robert Malcolm ◽  
James D. Sexauer ◽  
Hal S. Currey

Results of three studies are presented which explore the relation of experienced control to participation in treatment for obesity. Subjects in all studies were adult females participating in an outpatient, behaviorally-oriented obesity program. Experienced control was measured using the Experienced Control Scale (Tiffany, 1967). Study 1 was a naturally occurring experiment which compared two groups ( ns = 7 and 8) that differed in extent of self-directed efforts to begin treatment. Study 2 compared 32 persons who completed the program and 18 persons who did not complete it. High levels of experienced control over internal forces were associated with increased efforts to initiate treatment and with completion of treatment. Study 3 assessed the temporal stability of the Experienced Control Scale with obese females tested at the beginning and end of the 12-wk. treatment program. Test-retest reliability coefficients were .64 ( p < .01) for the internal control subscale and .29 ( P < .10) for the external control subscale.


1977 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 43-49 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Tolor ◽  
Belle Tolor ◽  
Shirley S. Blumin

A group of 28 children from kindergarten through Grade 4, presenting a variety of learning-related problems, were compared with a matched group of 28 control children on the Revised Self-appraisal Inventory and on the Preschool and Primary Internal-External Control Scale. It was hypothesized that the problem children relative to the controls would exhibit less positive self-concepts and have a more external generalized expectancy for control of reinforcement. The expectation was supported for the self-concept measure but not for the measure of locus of control. It was concluded that the Self-appraisal Inventory is a useful measure for assessing self-concepts of children who are being considered for placement in special educational programs and might be helpful in evaluation of these programs.


1987 ◽  
Vol 60 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Nigro

Several studies were conducted during the period 1978–1983 to ascertain whether there has been, in recent years, change among Italian undergraduates in perceived control. Six samples of Italian undergraduates completed the Italian version of the Rotter locus of control scale. In 1983 I-E scores, for men as well as for women, were significantly higher than those obtained in 1978. Over time there has been a moderate but gradual shift within the population toward a more external locus of control. Moderate but significant sex differences were found for each sample. Findings suggested that the increase in external control is influenced by realistic considerations. Further implications of the finding were discussed.


2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1178-1186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan A. Carlson ◽  
James F. Sallis ◽  
Nicole Wagner ◽  
Karen J. Calfas ◽  
Kevin Patrick ◽  
...  

Background:Psychosocial factors have been related to physical activity (PA) and are used to evaluate mediation in PA interventions.Methods:Brief theory-based psychosocial scales were compiled from existing measures and evaluated. Study 1 assessed factor structure and construct validity with self-reported PA and accelerometry in overweight/obese men (N = 441) and women (N = 401). Study 2 assessed 2-week reliability and internal consistency in 49 college students.Results:Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good fit in men and women (CFI = .90; RMSEA = .05). Construct validity was supported for change strategies (r = .29–.46), self-efficacy (r = .19–.22) and enjoyment (r = .21–.33) in men and women, and for cons in women (r = –.19 to –.20). PA pros (r = –.02 to .11) and social support (r = –.01 to .12) were not supported for construct validity. Test-retest reliability ICCs ranged from .49–.81. Internal consistency alphas ranged from .55–.90. Reliability was supported for most scales with further testing needed for cons (alphas = .55–.63) and enjoyment (ICC = 49).Conclusions:Many of the brief scales demonstrated adequate reliability and validity, while some need further development. The use of these scales could advance research and practice in the promotion of PA.


1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 229-230 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reza Shapurian ◽  
Mohammadreza Hojat

A short form of Rotter's locus of control scale was administered to two samples of Iranian students. Sample I comprised 305 students in Iranian universities and Sample II consisted of 232 Iranian college students in the USA. Descriptive statistics for each sample are reported. Test-retest reliability over 3 wk. was .84, and the alpha estimates were .82 for both samples. Scores were correlated in expected directions with measures of depression, neuroticism, anxiety, self-esteem, and loneliness.


1985 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 159-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
Janelle K. O'Connell ◽  
James H. Price

A 20-item Heart Disease Locus of Control Scale was given to 50 health fair attenders and 51 nonattenders. The scale has three subscales: internal (7 items), chance (8 items), and powerful others (5 items). Reliability assessed by test-retest was .83 and Cronbach alphas for the subscales were internal .83, chance .86, and powerful others .76. Validity was examined through content validity, criterion-related validity, construct validity, and discriminant validity. Reading was at the ninth grade. It is recommended that the more specific Heart Disease Scale be utilized when conducting studies of heart disease.


1976 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 420-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sidney Scharf ◽  
Alexander Newman

Recent literature in attribution theory leads to the prediction that actors will tend to perceive their locus of control as internal. In the present study, a group of adolescents (2 boys, 7 girls) were administered a locus of control scale and were photographed. Based on these photographs, 47 boys and 56 girls in Grade 9 answered the items on the I-E scale according to their perception of these ratees. Compared with ratings made by the observer, actors rated themselves as more internal ( t = 5.87, df = 8, p < .001).


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