Prenatal Internal Locus of Control Is Positively Associated with Offspring IQ, Mediated through Parenting Behavior, Prenatal Lifestyle and Social Circumstances

Abstract

Locus of control (LOC) is a measure that identifies the likelihood as to whether an individual considers what happens to him is largely a matter of luck or fate (known as externally oriented) or whether it is something that the individual can influence (internality). Here we have used data collected as part of the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) to determine the associations between the mothers’ LOC orientation before the birth of the child and her child’s cognition measured at age 8. Using results from 6801 children we show that maternal internal LOC is associated with increased ability in offspring IQ, as measured using the WISC, with children of internally oriented mothers having an advantage of approximately 7 IQ points at age 8. As a sensitivity analysis we used the IQ test results of a sample of 986 preschool children tested using the WPSSI at age 4. A similar advantage was found among the offspring of the internally oriented mothers. We investigated mechanistic explanations for these results firstly by determining the extent to which three separate sets of factors known to be influenced by the LOC orientation might explain these findings. We showed that (a) perinatal life-style exposures, (b) parenting attitudes and strategies and (c) socio-economic circumstances, largely explain the mechanism through which the internality of the mother influences the cognition of the child. Similar effects were found using the smaller sample tested at age 4. The results indicate that efforts made to foster internality in adolescents and young adults prior to parenthood may result in improvements in the cognitive development of the next generation. Intervention studies are urgently needed.

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

“…Our findings suggest that associations are similar in women and that they can be observed as early as age ~50 years. In addition to this, another study reported that mothers with an internal prenatal LoC, on average, had offspring with a higher IQ at age 8 years [34], suggesting that LoC may be associated with cognitive function across the entire life course; not just in mid-late adulthood.…”

“…The original ANSIE comprises 40 items in a yes/no format, which assess perceived control. The version used in the present study comprises 12 of the original 40 items, which were chosen after factor analysis of the ANSIE administered as a pilot to 135 mothers [34]. The 12 questions loaded onto a single factor of general LoC.…”

Maternal Locus of Control in Pregnancy and Reading and Spelling Abilities of the Offspring: A Longitudinal Birth Cohort Study

“…The present study uses data collected by the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC). Earlier studies (Golding et al, 2017a(Golding et al, , 2019 using this cohort (n = 6801) showed an association between prenatal maternal LOC and study children's Wechsler IQ (Wechsler et al, 1992) at age 8, and scores in mathematics tests at various ages in primary school. Children of prenatally external mothers had a lower average IQ, and poorer mathematics test scores than their peers with prenatally internal mothers.…”

Effect of parental attributes on the locus of control of secondary school students

“…Prenatal internality of the mothers positively influences the cognition of the child. Children of prenatal internal mothers were found to have 7 IQ points higher than the children of prenatal external mothers (Golding et al, 2017). Internal parents acquire parenting skills and interact with their children in organized and consistent manner.…”

“…Positive outcomes are enhanced when both parents are internal. Hence, internal LoC should be promoted among parents (Nowicki et al, 2017) and in adolescents and young adults prior to parenthood to get improvements in the cognitive development of the next generation (Golding et al, 2017).…”