The relationship between internal vs. external locus of control and a child's mental health
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Authors
Imfeld, Kristen
Issue Date
1997
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This thesis examined the relationship between a child's internal and external locus of control (ELOC) and their mental health. By examining a child and their interactions and relationships with others while doing various tasks in their daily lives, it was hoped to find a link to whether a child with ELOC had lower self-esteem (SE) and was more depressed (DEP). Three surveys were given to children in the fifth grade at both a private elementary school (N=8) and a public elementary school (N=14) to quantitatively measure this relationship. Possible external influences in children's lives, such as parents, peers, teachers, and instructional styles, were also measured to find a possible correlation to low SE and DEP. There was a correlation found between SE at school and LOC. In addition, there was a moderate correlation between the child's primary sources of support, family and peers, and their level of self-esteem. No significant correlation was found between the age, gender, and socio-economic status of the child and LOC and mental health, given the small sample size.