This article was downloaded by: [University of Calgary] On: 01 February 2015, At: 19:48 Publisher: Routledge Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK
The Journal of Social Psychology Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vsoc20
Locus of Control, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among American, Philippine, and Turkish Students a
b
David Lester , Iris J. Castromayor & Tülin Içli a
c
Department of Psychology , Stockton State College
b
Department of Nursing , San Pedro College , Philippines c
Department of Psychology , Hacettepe University , Turkey Published online: 01 Jul 2010.
To cite this article: David Lester , Iris J. Castromayor & Tülin Içli (1991) Locus of Control, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among American, Philippine, and Turkish Students, The Journal of Social Psychology, 131:3, 447-449, DOI: 10.1080/00224545.1991.9713873 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1991.9713873
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with
primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
The Journal of Social Psychology, 131(3). 447449
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
Locus of Control, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among American, Philippine, and Turkish Students DAVID LESTER Department of Psychology Stockton State College IRIS J. CASTROMAYOR Department of Nursing San Pedro College, Philippines
TOLIN ICLI Department of Psychology Hacettepe University, Turkey STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES have reported an association between an external locus of control and depression (e.g., Aiken & Baucom, 1982), although Hale and Cochran (1987) failed to replicate the finding with elderly and non-White subjects. Sidrow and Lester (1988) reported that an external locus of control was also associated with suicidal preoccupation. The present study was designed to explore these associations in American, Philippine, and Turkish college students to see whether the results reported in America have cross-national generality. A questionnaire was given anonymously to 80 American undergraduates (55 women and 25 men between the ages of 17 and 24 years; M = 20.4, SD = 1.5), 98 undergraduates enrolled in social science courses in Turkey (63 women and 35 men; mean age = 20.3 years, SD = 1.7), and 147 undergraduates enrolled in nursing courses in the Philippines (34 men and 113 women; mean age = 20.5 years, SD = 1.7). They were administered the Rotter (1966) locus of control scale and the Zung (1%5) self-rating depression scale. They were also asked whether they had ever thought about or attempted suicide. The Philippine students had significantly lower external locus of control scores than the American and Turkish students (M = 8.5, 10.4, and Requests for reprints should be sent to David Lester, Department of Psychology, Sfockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240. 447
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
448
The Journal of Social Psychology
10.9, respectively), F(2, 342) = 15.76, p < .OO01. The Turkish students had higher depression scores than the American and Philippine students ( M = 40.0, 35.8, and 37.3, respectively), F(2, 342) = 9.17, p = .OO01. The three groups of students did not differ in their view of the morality of suicide. For both Turkish and American students, external locus of control scores were significantly associated with depression scores (Pearson rs = .38 and .32, respectively, p < .001) but not for the Philippine students (r = .08). Of the Turkish students, 26.5% had considered suicide and 3.1% had attempted suicide; of the Philippine students, 13% had considered suicide and 3.4% had attempted suicide. Significantly more American students had considered and attempted suicide (47.5% and 10.0%, respectively). For the Philippine, Turkish, and American students, depression scores were associated with having ever thought about suicide (point-biserial rs = .27, .27, and .35, respectively, p < .01). For the American students, depression scores were also associated with having attempted suicide in the past (point-biserial r = .21, p < .05), but not for the Philippine or Turkish students ( r = .12 and - .03). External locus of control scores were associated with having considered suicide among the Turkish students ( r = .33, p < .001) and with having attempted suicide among the Philippine and American students (TS = .17 and .22, respectively, p < .05). The low correlations for the Turkish students and the Philippine students remained statistically significant after controlling for sex, age, and depression scores by means of partial correlation coefficients, whereas the correlation for American students was no longer statistically significant after controlling for sex, age, and depression scores. This study has shown, therefore, that higher external locus of control scores were positively, though weakly, associated with depression and a history of suicidal preoccupation in American students and Philippine students (who were primarily Christian) and in Turkish students (who were primarily Islamic) and that most of these correlations (but not all) were statistically significant. The associations were modest in size, accounting for no more than 12% of the variance, but the associations do appear to have some cross-cultural generality.
REFERENCES
Aiken, P. A., & Baucom, D. H. (1982). Locus of control and depression. Journal of Personality Assessment, 46, 391-395. Hale, W . D., & Cochran, C. D. (1987). The relationship between locus of control and self-reported psychopathology. Journal of Social Psychology, 127, 3 1-37. Rotter, J. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80(1).
Lester, Castromayor, & Iqli
449
Sidrow, N. E., & Lester, D. (1988). Locus of control and suicidal ideation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 67, 576. Zung, W. W. (1965). A self-rating depression scale. Archives of General Psychiutry, 12, 63-70.
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
Received August 27, 1990
The Journal of Social Psychology Publication details, including instructions for authors and subscription information: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/vsoc20
Locus of Control, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among American, Philippine, and Turkish Students a
b
David Lester , Iris J. Castromayor & Tülin Içli a
c
Department of Psychology , Stockton State College
b
Department of Nursing , San Pedro College , Philippines c
Department of Psychology , Hacettepe University , Turkey Published online: 01 Jul 2010.
To cite this article: David Lester , Iris J. Castromayor & Tülin Içli (1991) Locus of Control, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among American, Philippine, and Turkish Students, The Journal of Social Psychology, 131:3, 447-449, DOI: 10.1080/00224545.1991.9713873 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00224545.1991.9713873
PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the “Content”) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis, our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors, and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with
primary sources of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims, proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising out of the use of the Content.
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing, systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/terms-and-conditions
The Journal of Social Psychology, 131(3). 447449
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
Locus of Control, Depression, and Suicidal Ideation Among American, Philippine, and Turkish Students DAVID LESTER Department of Psychology Stockton State College IRIS J. CASTROMAYOR Department of Nursing San Pedro College, Philippines
TOLIN ICLI Department of Psychology Hacettepe University, Turkey STUDIES IN THE UNITED STATES have reported an association between an external locus of control and depression (e.g., Aiken & Baucom, 1982), although Hale and Cochran (1987) failed to replicate the finding with elderly and non-White subjects. Sidrow and Lester (1988) reported that an external locus of control was also associated with suicidal preoccupation. The present study was designed to explore these associations in American, Philippine, and Turkish college students to see whether the results reported in America have cross-national generality. A questionnaire was given anonymously to 80 American undergraduates (55 women and 25 men between the ages of 17 and 24 years; M = 20.4, SD = 1.5), 98 undergraduates enrolled in social science courses in Turkey (63 women and 35 men; mean age = 20.3 years, SD = 1.7), and 147 undergraduates enrolled in nursing courses in the Philippines (34 men and 113 women; mean age = 20.5 years, SD = 1.7). They were administered the Rotter (1966) locus of control scale and the Zung (1%5) self-rating depression scale. They were also asked whether they had ever thought about or attempted suicide. The Philippine students had significantly lower external locus of control scores than the American and Turkish students (M = 8.5, 10.4, and Requests for reprints should be sent to David Lester, Department of Psychology, Sfockton State College, Pomona, NJ 08240. 447
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
448
The Journal of Social Psychology
10.9, respectively), F(2, 342) = 15.76, p < .OO01. The Turkish students had higher depression scores than the American and Philippine students ( M = 40.0, 35.8, and 37.3, respectively), F(2, 342) = 9.17, p = .OO01. The three groups of students did not differ in their view of the morality of suicide. For both Turkish and American students, external locus of control scores were significantly associated with depression scores (Pearson rs = .38 and .32, respectively, p < .001) but not for the Philippine students (r = .08). Of the Turkish students, 26.5% had considered suicide and 3.1% had attempted suicide; of the Philippine students, 13% had considered suicide and 3.4% had attempted suicide. Significantly more American students had considered and attempted suicide (47.5% and 10.0%, respectively). For the Philippine, Turkish, and American students, depression scores were associated with having ever thought about suicide (point-biserial rs = .27, .27, and .35, respectively, p < .01). For the American students, depression scores were also associated with having attempted suicide in the past (point-biserial r = .21, p < .05), but not for the Philippine or Turkish students ( r = .12 and - .03). External locus of control scores were associated with having considered suicide among the Turkish students ( r = .33, p < .001) and with having attempted suicide among the Philippine and American students (TS = .17 and .22, respectively, p < .05). The low correlations for the Turkish students and the Philippine students remained statistically significant after controlling for sex, age, and depression scores by means of partial correlation coefficients, whereas the correlation for American students was no longer statistically significant after controlling for sex, age, and depression scores. This study has shown, therefore, that higher external locus of control scores were positively, though weakly, associated with depression and a history of suicidal preoccupation in American students and Philippine students (who were primarily Christian) and in Turkish students (who were primarily Islamic) and that most of these correlations (but not all) were statistically significant. The associations were modest in size, accounting for no more than 12% of the variance, but the associations do appear to have some cross-cultural generality.
REFERENCES
Aiken, P. A., & Baucom, D. H. (1982). Locus of control and depression. Journal of Personality Assessment, 46, 391-395. Hale, W . D., & Cochran, C. D. (1987). The relationship between locus of control and self-reported psychopathology. Journal of Social Psychology, 127, 3 1-37. Rotter, J. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external reinforcement. Psychological Monographs, 80(1).
Lester, Castromayor, & Iqli
449
Sidrow, N. E., & Lester, D. (1988). Locus of control and suicidal ideation. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 67, 576. Zung, W. W. (1965). A self-rating depression scale. Archives of General Psychiutry, 12, 63-70.
Downloaded by [University of Calgary] at 19:48 01 February 2015
Received August 27, 1990
