Denial, locus of control and depression among physically disabled and nondisabled men

The Denial and the Depression scales of the MMPI and Rotter's Locus of Control scale were administered to 26 men with locomotor disabilities and to 44 nondisabled men. Among the disabled, brain-damaged scored higher in the Denial scale than the non-brain-damaged disabled, but not higher than the nondisabled Ss. A fairly high correlation was found between Denial and Locus of Control. The more the S believed that he is externally controlled, the less denial he employed. All disabled groups scored significantly higher on the Depression scale than the nondisabled group. The latter finding is discussed in terms of two behavioral formulations of depression.