Impact of Locus of Control on Psychological Well-Being Among Male and Female Adolescents in Anambra State
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57125/FS.2024.09.20.10Keywords:
Locus of control, psychological well-being, adolescents, gender differences, mental healthAbstract
This study focused on investigating how locus of control influences the mental well-being of male and female adolescents from Anambra State, Nigeria. The type of research study was correlational and the respondents were senior Secondary School students of which 396 were males and 367 females. The sampling methods used were multistage and stratified sampling. In data collection the Locus of Control of Behaviour Scale (LCBS) and the Psychological Well-Being Scale (PWS) were used; both instruments yielded high reliability as assessed by Cronbach’s alpha coefficients of 0. 72 and 0. 86, respectively. Specifically, in the regression equations it was discovered that locus of control has a positive correlation with psychological well-being and explained 21% of the variability. It accounts for 8% of the variability in all adolescent youth, 18. 1% among males and 24% among females. The findings underscored the significance of building an internal sense of control to improve adolescents’ psychological adjustment. The study revealed the need to apply such methods to enhance the students’ perceived control in educational programs and calls for future studies to discover other factors that have an impact on psychological well-being across various cultures.
References
Adak, C., & Sarkar, K. (2021). Gender differences on self-esteem, locus of control and resilience among young adolescents. Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science, 9(2), 1–6. https://www.questjournals.org/jrhss/papers/vol9-issue2/A09020106.pdf
Anmol, & Rath, S. (2022). Effect of locus of control and gender on happiness among Indian adolescents. North American Journal of Psychology, 24(1), 135–146. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A695926046/AONE?u=anon~a80646ad&sid=googleScholar&xid=ae85ee2d
Arkorful, H., & Hilton, S. K. (2022). Locus of control and entrepreneurial intention: A study in a developing economy. Journal of Economic and Administrative Sciences, 38(2), 333–344. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEAS-04-2020-0051
Cheng, C., Cheung, S. F., Chio, J. H. M., & Chan, M. P. S. (2013). Cultural meaning of perceived control: A meta-analysis of locus of control and psychological symptoms across 18 cultural regions. Psychological Bulletin, 139(1), 152–188. https://psycnet.apa.org/buy/2012-13975-001
Churchill, S. A., Munyanyi, M. E., Prakash, K., & Smyth, R. (2020). Locus of control and the gender gap in mental health. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 178, 740–758. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2020.08.013
Clark, A. E., & Zhu, R. (2024). Taking back control? Quasi-experimental evidence on the impact of retirement on locus of control. The Economic Journal, 134(660), 1465–1493. https://doi.org/10.1093/ej/uead118
Costantini, I., Kwong, A. S., Smith, D., Lewcock, M., Lawlor, D. A., Moran, P. … Pearson, R. M. (2021). Locus of control and negative cognitive styles in adolescence as risk factors for depression onset in young adulthood: Findings from a prospective birth cohort study. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, Article 599240. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.599240
Craig, A. R., Franklin, J. A., & Andrews, G. (1984). A scale to measure locus of control of behaviour. British Journal of Medical Psychology, 57(2), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8341.1984.tb01597.x
Cui, H., Bi, X., Chen, W., Gao, T., Qing, Z., Shi, K., & Ma, Y. (2023). Gratitude and academic engagement: Exploring the mediating effects of internal locus of control and subjective well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, Article 1287702. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1287702
Cuppari, M. (2018). Internal locus of control and active coping styles as protective factors in the psychological well-being in adult children of divorce [Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. College of Saint Elizabeth. https://www.proquest.com/openview/0f46c30d16666fd25cb0a05886994213/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Eriksson, K., Björnstjerna, M., & Vartanova, I. (2020). The relation between gender egalitarian values and gender differences in academic achievement. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 236. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00236
Farhan, M., Javed, M. A., Khattak, M. H. K., & Sheikh, Z. (2024). The role of religiosity and locus of control on psychological well-being among Muslim undergraduate students: The moderating role of resilience. Remittances Review, 9(1), 3467–3513. https://remittancesreview.com/menu-script/index.php/remittances/article/view/1769
Farnier, J., Shankland, R., Kotsou, I., Inigo, M., Rosset, E., & Leys, C. (2021). Empowering well-being: Validation of a locus of control scale specific to well-being. Journal of Happiness Studies, 22, 3513–3542. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00380-7
Filipiak, S., & Łubianka, B. (2021). On the rocky road to independence: Big five personality traits and locus of control in polish primary school students during transition into early adolescence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(9), Article 4564. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094564
Filipiak, S., & Łubianka, B. (2024). Exploring the relationship between personality traits and locus of control in early adolescence. Does gender play a role?. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12483
Flores, J., Caqueo-Urízar, A., Ramírez, C., Arancio, G., & Cofré, J. P. (2020). Locus of control, self-control, and gender as predictors of internalizing and externalizing problems in children and adolescents in Northern Chile. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 2015. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02015
Galvin, B. M., Randel, A. E., Collins, B. J., & Johnson, R. E. (2018). Changing the focus of locus (of control): A targeted review of the locus of control literature and agenda for future research. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 39(7), 820–833. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2275
Graham, B., Bowes, L., & Ehlers, A. (2022). External locus of control but not self-esteem predicts increasing social anxiety among bullied children. Clinical Psychology in Europe, 4(2), Article e3809. https://doi.org/10.32872%2Fcpe.3809
Greenblatt-Kimron, L., Palgi, Y., Regev, T., & Ben-David, B. M. (2024). Associations among loneliness, internal locus of control and subjective accelerated ageing in older adults who received the booster vaccination. BJPsych Open, 10(2), Article e54. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjo.2024.14
Hamidizadeh, S., Parviniannasab, A. M., & Bagheryan, M. (2023). The effect of general health and locus of control on happiness among nursing students: The mediating role of psychological well-being. Neuropsychiatria i Neuropsychologia/Neuropsychiatry and Neuropsychology, 18(3–4), 169–174. https://doi.org/10.5114/nan.2023.134153
Hamzah, M. I., & Othman, A. K. (2023). How do locus of control influence business and personal success? The mediating effects of entrepreneurial competency. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, Article 958911. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.958911
Harshitha, S., Abirami, P. & Mythili, T. (2018). Locus of control and psychological well-being in visually and auditorily challenged individuals. International Journal of Advanced Educational Research, 3(1), 1–4. https://www.multidisciplinaryjournals.org/assets/archives/2018/vol3issue1/2-6-151-288.pdf
Horvat-Gitsels, L. A., Cortina-Borja, M., & Rahi, J. S. (2024). Do adolescents with impaired vision have different intentions and ambitions for their education, career and social outcomes compared to their peers? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study. British Journal of Ophthalmology, 108(1), 159–164. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjo-2021-320972
Hossain, M. M., Nesa, F., Das, J., Aggad, R., Tasnim, S., Bairwa, M. … Ramirez, G., 2022. Global burden of mental health problems among children and adolescents during COVID-19 pandemic: An umbrella review. Psychiatry Research, 317, Article 114814. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2022.114814
Imbur, M. T. (2024). A comparative study of psycho-social and socio-economic issues on mental health in Nigeria. Practicum Psychologia, 14(1). https://journals.aphriapub.com/index.php/PP/article/view/2624
Lassi, G., Taylor, A. E., Mahedy, L., Heron, J., Eisen, T., & Munafo, M. R. (2019). Locus of control is associated with tobacco and alcohol consumption in young adults of the Avon longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. Royal Society Open Science, 6(3), Article 181133. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.181133
LeBaron-Black, A. B., Li, X., Okamoto, R. M., Saxey, M. T., & Driggs, T. M. (2022). Finances and fate: Parent financial socialization, locus of control, and mental health in emerging adulthood. Emerging Adulthood, 10(6), 1484–1496. https://doi.org/10.1177/21676968221110541
Luque, B., Farhane-Medina, N. Z., Villalba, M., Castillo-Mayén, R., Cuadrado, E., & Tabernero, C. (2023). Positivity and health locus of control: Key variables to intervene on well-being of cardiovascular disease patients. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 13(5), Article 873. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13050873
Mobarakeh, M. R. V., Juhari, R., Yaacob, S. N., Redzuan, M., & Mobarakeh, S. I. (2015). Locus of control and psychological well-being among Iranian adolescent migrants in Kuala-Lumpur, Malaysia. IOSR Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 20(7), 25–28. http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/46584/
Nwankwo, B. C., Okechi, B. C., & Kalu, O. E. (2017). Role of locus of control and gender on psychological well-being among youth athletes. Journal of Psychological & Sociological Studies, 1(1), 177–185. https://journals.aphriapub.com/index.php/JPSS/article/view/59
Okwaraji, E., Nduanya, V., Obiechina, I., Onyebueke, C., & Okorie, A. (2018). Locus of control, self esteem and depression on a sample of school going adolescents in two Nigerian communities. Journal of medical Research, 4(2), 106–110. https://www.medicinearticle.com/JMR_20182_11.pdf
Parray, W. M., & Kumar, S. (2017). Impact of assertiveness training on the level of assertiveness, self-esteem, stress, psychological well-being and academic achievement of adolescents. Indian Journal of Health and Wellbeing, 8(12), 1476–1480.
Peter, F. H., & Spiess, C. K. (2016). Family instability and locus of control in adolescence. The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis & Policy, 16(3), 1439–1471. https://doi.org/10.1515/bejeap-2015-0175
Ryff, C. D. (1989). Happiness is everything, or is it? Explorations on the meaning of psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 57(6), 1069–1081. https://psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/1990-12288-001.html
Saheera, K. T., & Mainkandan, K. (2016). Locus of control and psychological well-being of higher secondary school students. ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, 6(12), 67–75. https://www.indianjournals.com/ijor.aspx?target=ijor:zijmr&volume=6&issue=12&article=006
Santokhie, S., & Lipps, G. E. (2020). Development and validation of the tertiary student locus of control scale. Sage Open, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244019899061
Seligman, M. E. (2011). Flourish: The new positive psychology and the search for well-being. Free Press.
Shaheen, N., Roy, I. K., & Prakash, A. (2020). Psychological well-being and locus of control in adolescents with visual impairments. Ecronicon Psychology and Psychiatry, 9(9), 139–144. https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:221088431
Shifrer, D. (2019). The contributions of parental, academic, school, and peer factors to differences by socioeconomic status in adolescents’ locus of control. Society and Mental Health, 9(1), 74–94. https://doi.org/10.1177/2156869318754321
Shin, S., & Lee, E. (2021). Relationships among the internal health locus of control, mental health problems, and subjective well-being of adults in South Korea. Healthcare, 9(11), Article 1588. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare9111588
Siggayo, M. (2023). Grit and locus of control as correlates to psychological well–being among athletes: Basis for a proposed sports training program. Psychology and Education: A Multidisciplinary Journal, 15(1), 81–92. https://scimatic.org/show_manuscript/2214
Weintraub, M. J., Mamani, A.W., & Tawfik, S. H. (2015). The interplay among locus of control, sub-clinical psychotic symptoms and psychological well-being in whites and ethnic minorities. Interamerican Journal of Psychology, 49(3), 413–424. https://doi.org/10.30849/rip/ijp.v49i3.45
Würtzen, H., Clausen, L. H., Andersen, P. B., Santini, Z. I., Erkmen, J., & Pedersen, H. F. (2022). Mental well-being, health, and locus of control in Danish adults before and during COVID-19. Acta Neuropsychiatrica, 34(2), 93–98. https://doi.org/10.1017/neu.2021.37
Yinghua, Y., & Lin, L. (2015). Examining relations between locus of control, loneliness, psychological well-being and preference for online social interaction. Psychological Reports, 1(1), 116–120. https://doi.org/10.2466/07.09.PR0.116k14w3
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 authors
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.