Factor specific differences in locus of control for emotionally disturbed and normal children

Area of Science:

• Child Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Locus of control (LOC) is a key psychological construct.
• Understanding LOC differences in children is crucial for interventions.
• The Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children assesses self-reported LOC.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in locus of control between emotionally disturbed and normal children.
• To examine group differences across specific factors of the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children.
• To determine the clinical relevance of specific LOC factors.

Main Methods:

• Administered the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children to two groups: 20 normal children and 20 emotionally disturbed children.
• Calculated overall locus of control scores and scores for each of the five factors.
• Utilized separate analyses of variance (ANOVAs) to compare group means on each factor.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found between emotionally disturbed and normal children on overall locus of control.
• Four out of five factors of the scale did not differentiate the two groups.
• Emotionally disturbed children scored significantly higher on the 'Helplessness' factor, indicating greater endorsement of helplessness items.

Conclusions:

• Overall locus of control is not a distinguishing factor between emotionally disturbed and normal children in this sample.
• The 'Helplessness' factor of locus of control is a significant differentiator, highlighting its clinical relevance.
• Factor-specific analysis is important for understanding nuanced psychological differences in clinical populations.