Health locus of control: a potential moderator variable for the relationship between life stress and psychopathology

Although research indicates that stressful life events commonly precede the onset of a variety of psychological disorders, reported correlations have consistently been only moderately strong. The present study examined the possibility that the health locus of control (HLC) mediates the relationship between life event stress and psychopathology. Subjects were 81 male volunteers between the ages of 21 and 62. The SCL-90-R was utilized to measure psychological symptom status. Subjects' perceptions regarding the desirability and controllability of experienced events were examined. Life events which were perceived to be both undesirable and uncontrollable were significantly correlated with the indices of psychopathology only for subjects who were external in HLC. Externals also showed significant correlations between events which were perceived as being undesirable but under personal control and psychological symptoms. The results suggest that externals are more vulnerable to life event stress than internals. Practical implications for health psychologists are discussed.