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Measuring locus of control in elderly persons.

R M Shewchuk1, G A Foelker, G Niederehe

  • 1University of Alabama, Birmingham.

International Journal of Aging & Human Development
|January 1, 1990
PubMed
Summary

Levenson's multidimensional locus of control scale is not appropriate for elderly individuals. A modified scale with fewer items and a combined external control factor showed better validity for assessing control beliefs in older adults.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Gerontology
  • Sociology

Background:

  • Locus of control (LoC) is a key psychological construct.
  • Levenson's scale measures Internal Control (I), Control by Powerful Others (P), and Chance (C).
  • Validity of LoC scales in elderly populations requires examination.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the psychometric properties of Levenson's multidimensional locus of control scale in elderly individuals.
  • To determine if the original three-factor structure is valid for older adults.
  • To propose a more appropriate measurement model for locus of control in this demographic.

Main Methods:

  • Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed.
  • Data from elderly individuals in Florida and Texas were used.
  • Cross-validation techniques were applied across model evaluations.

Main Results:

  • Levenson's original three-factor model did not adequately fit the data from the elderly samples.
  • A revised model, removing eleven items and creating a new external control factor (combining P and C items), demonstrated an adequate fit.
  • The original scale's structure showed limitations in construct validity and measurement equivalence for age-based comparisons.

Conclusions:

  • Levenson's multidimensional locus of control scale requires modification for use with elderly populations.
  • The proposed revised model offers a more valid measure of control beliefs in older adults.
  • Failure to validate the scale poses challenges for research comparing locus of control across age groups.

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