Events associated with stability and change in adult locus of control orientation over a six-year period

Abstract

Although locus of control (LOC) has been the focus of thousands of studies we know little about how or if it changes over time and what is associated with change. Our lack of knowledge stems in part from the past use of cross-sectional and not longitudinal methodologies to study small numbers of participants from non-representative populations. The purpose of the present study was to use a longitudinal design with a large representative population to provide relevant information concerning the stability and change of adult LOC. Before the birth of their child, and again six years later, mothers and their partners participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) completed LOC tests and structured stressful events surveys. Analyses revealed that stresses experienced in relationships with spouses, friends and family, financial stability and job security, and illness/smoking were associated with changes in LOC. Results suggest substantial variation of LOC within spousal/parent dyads and moderate stability of LOC over time for both men and women. Stressors associated with change in LOC may be possible candidates when considering interventions to modify LOC expectancies.

Differential associations of locus of control with anxiety, depression and life-events: A five-wave, nine-year study to test stability and change

“…With regard to life-events, LOC did not predict the number of PLEs or NLEs (in line with work by Cobb-Clark and Schurer, 2013), although concurrently, life-events were predictive of LOC. In line with previous work our results indicate that NLEs precede changes towards a more external LOC (Nowicki et al, 2018). Life-events also predicted changes in severity of anxiety and depression symptoms, in line with previous reports (Kinderman et al, 2013;Spinhoven et al, 2011).…”

“…Gradual changes towards a more external LOC over a period of eight years were also observed in a sample of women aged 32-46 years (Doherty, 1983), and in ageing samples more generally (Lachman, 2006;Lang and Heckhausen, 2001). In contrast, Nowicki et al (2018) found that women developed a more internal LOC in the period from pregnancy to motherhood, whereas their partners developed a slightly more external LOC. In addition, a significant change towards a more internal LOC was found in middle-aged psychiatric inpatients with a depressive or anxiety disorder diagnosis after treatment with cognitive behavior therapy, and this improvement was maintained over a three-month follow-up (Page and Hooke, 2003).…”

“…Several studies indicated that a more externally oriented LOC is associated with encountering more negative life-events (NLEs), in childhood and in adulthood (Barlow, 2000;Crandall and Lehman, 1977;Darshani, 2014;Tyson, 1981). In reverse, more NLEs were found to be associated with a more external LOC in a sample of young parents (Nowicki et al, 2018) and in healthy young men and older women (Cobb-Clark and Schurer, 2013).…”

Locus of control as a modifiable risk factor for cognitive function in midlife

“…These findings suggest that LoC may be an amenable target for interventions aimed at increasing internality, to improve cognitive function in adulthood and consequently, help to reduce risk of ageing-related morbidity (including Alzheimer’s disease, which has been consistently associated with lower cognitive function in mid-life and mortality [23,24]). Several studies have provided evidence that LoC is modifiable, with cognitive training interventions increasing internality [15–17], and Nowicki et al [25] have identified several factors associated with changes towards both internality and externality. Our study identified a subgroup of participants (~30%) whose LoC changed over time (i.e.…”

Data relating to change in locus of control orientation of parents overtime (from pre-birth to 20 years later), participating in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC)

“…To date there have been ten publications using ALSPAC data on parental LOC, summarized in Table 6 , and include both analyses identifying antecedent factors [25] , [26] , [27] , [28] and consequences [18] , [29] , [30] , [31] , [32] , [33] .…”