Locus of control and psychological distress among the aged

A relationship between locus of control and adjustment has been found in many studies of young adults, with externals generally reporting higher levels of psychological distress. However, studies of locus of control and adjustment in the aged have produced conflicting results. This investigation examined the relationship between locus of control and self-reported psychopathology in a sample of 139 residents of a retirement complex. Correlation coefficients were computed for locus of control and each of the nine symptom dimensions of the Brief Symptom Inventory. These analyses were carried out separately for males and for females to determine if locus of control orientation was associated with adjustment for both males and females. Results indicate that locus of control is correlated with self-reported psychopathology for older women but not for older men. These results and those of related investigations are discussed within the context of Rotter's social learning theory.