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The relation between locus of control and coping in two contexts: age as a moderator variable
F Blanchard-Fields1, J C Irion
1Department of Psychology, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge 70803-5501.
Psychology and Aging
|June 1, 1988
Summary
Age significantly influences how people use locus of control (LOC) and coping strategies. Beliefs about internal control, powerful others, and chance shift coping mechanisms across the lifespan, impacting psychological well-being.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Gerontology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Locus of control (LOC) and coping strategies are crucial psychological constructs.
- Understanding how these constructs interact and are influenced by age is vital for developmental research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the moderating role of age and context on the relationship between locus of control and coping strategies.
- To examine how different dimensions of locus of control (Internality, Powerful Others, Chance) relate to specific coping mechanisms across age groups.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 96 participants across four age groups: adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and older adults.
- Utilized Lazarus's Ways of Coping questionnaire, a situation-specific controllability measure, a defensive coping questionnaire, and Levenson's LOC scales.
- Assessed coping in both challenging and threatening contexts.
Main Results:
- Age significantly moderated the relationship between locus of control and coping strategies.
- Internality correlated positively with maladaptive coping (escape-avoidance, hostile reaction, self-blame) in younger individuals, but negatively in older adults.
- Beliefs in powerful others and chance were associated with adaptive coping (planful problem-solving, self-controlling, distancing) in older adults, but negatively in younger individuals.
Conclusions:
- Dimensions of locus of control and their association with coping strategies are not static and vary significantly with age.
- These findings highlight the dynamic interplay between cognitive control beliefs, coping behaviors, and aging, with implications for psychological adjustment throughout the lifespan.