THE DEVELOPMENT AND PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF A LOCUS OF CONTROL SCALE FOR CHILDREN'S PERCEPTIONS OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
Abstract
In order to examine the relationship between locus of control perceptions and peer interactions in children, a Locus of Control Scale for Children's Perceptions of Social Interactions (LOC-CPSI) was developed. The scale consists of 48 yes/no questions describing social experiences rated by children to be positive or negative. The LOC-CPSI is scored in the internal direction and provides scores based on the number of positive (I+), negative (I-), and total (I) events a child attributes to his or her own behavior (internal locus of control) rather than to external forces or chance (external locus of control). Since half of the LOC-CPSI items were found to be reliably rated by children as socially desirable or undesirable, a separate key for social desirability was constructed. Internal consistency coefficients for the I, I+ and I- scales ranged from .76 to .83. Test-retest reliability coefficients for the LOC-CPSI subscales over a 10 day period ranged from .65 to .70. Evidence for the convergent validity of the LOC-CPSI was demonstrated in the negative correlation obtained between the internal LOC-CPSI scores and external scores on the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children and the lower magnitude positive correlation with internal Intellectual Achievement Responsibility Questionaire scores. The discriminant validity of the scale was suggested by low or nonsignificant correlations with age, SES, Mental Age, sex and a measure of test anxiety. The LOC-CPSI related significantly to sociometric nominations and teacher ratings of social behavior of children, with popular children obtaining higher internal locus of control scores than rejected or isolated children, particularly when social desirability was controlled. The LOC-CPSI appeared to be a better predictor of these social variables than either of the locus of control measures or the test anxiety scale. The relationship between teacher ratings and actual peer status also was examined. The results are discussed in terms of the theoretical construct of locus of control, behavioral attributes associated with peer acceptance, isolation, and peer rejection, and potential clinical applications to social skills training interventions.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Social psychology
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