Locus of Control in Children of Divorce

Abstract

Scores on the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (N-SLOCSC) were compared for third and fifth grade boys and girls from intact versus maritally disrupted family backgrounds. Significant main effects for each independent variable revealed that fifth graders more than third, boys more than girls, and the marital disruption more than the intact group, exhibited higher internality in their locus of control scores. These findings strongly suggest that experiencing a parental divorce in childhood has a significant influence on generalized perceptions of personal control and effectance, perceptions which may ultimately mediate both short- and long-term outcomes in children's post-divorce adjustment.

Family background and academic achievement: does self-efficacy mediate outcomes?

“…These finding are contrary to previous research which indicates that family structure and socioeconomic status each have a positive relationship with self-efficacy (Gecas and Schwalbe 1983;Kalter et al 1984), with greater self-efficacy associated with married, higher SES families. These results are perhaps explained by the unique student population making up the current Note: N = 165-190. β 1 is for variable at entry; β 2 is for variable in the full model † p < .10, * p < .05, * * p < .01, * * * p < .001…”

“…Individuals from intact homes reported higher levels of self-efficacy compared to children from single-parent homes (Kalter et al 1984;Kurtz and Derevensky 1993;Long et al 1987). Socioeconomic status also relates to efficacy beliefs, with individuals raised in lower socioeconomic homes reporting lower levels of self-efficacy (Coleman and Karraker 1997;Gecas and Schwalbe 1983;Lin 2003).…”

“…Socioeconomic status also relates to efficacy beliefs, with individuals raised in lower socioeconomic homes reporting lower levels of self-efficacy (Coleman and Karraker 1997;Gecas and Schwalbe 1983;Lin 2003). Researchers argue that the experiences of parental divorce and/or growing up in a lower socioeconomic home are associated with children questioning their ability to control outcomes and this is related to self-efficacy development (Gecas and Schwalbe 1983;Kalter et al 1984). Bandura (1977) maintained that an individual must believe that they can perform the pertinent behavior and that the behavior will result in the desired outcome, therefore a sense of control is vital to perceptions of self-efficacy.…”

“…The current study extends this vein of research beyond attachment theory to focus on the numerous family behaviors used to predict academic outcomes. Many other researchers recommend the exploration of intervening or mediating variables to explain how family background affects academic outcomes (Bank et al 1990;Jacobs and Harvey 2005;Kalter et al 1984;Milne et al 1986). Because of its powerful relationship with academic achievement, self-efficacy may be an especially important mediator.…”

The Impact of Parental Separation and Divorce on the Health Status of Children, and the Ways to Improve it

“…Criminal behavior, violence and impairment of masculine development: In their paper, Kalter et al [25], described a clinical study, carried out during a period of 10 years, with approximately 600 children of divorced parents. It was found that boys to divorced parents, who remained in the custody of their mother, had impaired masculine development, due to lack of a male figure.…”