Measurement of locus of control in cocaine abusers

Although the course of recovery for cocaine abusers is particularly problematic, there has been little investigation of perceptions of control in this population. The purposes of this study were (1) to develop an instrument that would measure specific expectancies of control in cocaine abusers, and (2) to examine the relationship between specific and generalized expectancies of control in these subjects. Rotter's I-E scale and a modification of the Drinking-Related Locus of Control (DRIE) scale were administered to 40 cocaine abusers in their first week of treatment. The Modified DRIE scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency and satisfactory test-retest reliability in the sample. No significant correlation was found between the Modified DRIE scale and the I-E scale, probably because of the relatively small sample size. Further validation of the Modified DRIE scale is indicated.