Locus of control moderates the association of COVID-19 stress and general mental distress: Results of a cross-sectional survey in two large samples from Norway, Germany, and Austria

Abstract

Background: An internal locus of control (LoC I) refers to the belief that the outcome of events in one’s life is contingent upon one’s actions, whereas an external locus of control (LoC E) describes the belief that chance and powerful others control one's life. This study investigated whether LoC I and LoC E moderated the relationship between COVID-19 stress and general mental distress in the general population during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: This cross-sectional survey study analysed data from a Norwegian (n=1,225) and a German-speaking sample (n=1,527). We measured LoC with the Locus of Control-4 Scale (IE-4), COVID-19 stress with a scale developed for this purpose, and mental distress with the Patient Health Questionnaire 4 (PHQ-4). Moderation analyses were conducted using the PROCESS macro for SPSS. Results: The association between COVID-19 stress and general mental distress was strong (r=.61 and r=.55 for the Norwegian and the German-speaking sample, respectively). In both samples, LoC showed substantial moderation effects. LoC I served as a buffer (p<.001), and LoC E exacerbated (p<.001) the relation between COVID-19 stress and general mental distress. Conclusions: The data suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic is easier to bear for people who, despite pandemic-related strains, feel that they generally have influence over their own lives. An external locus of control, conversely, is associated with symptoms of depression and anxiety. The prevention of mental distress may be supported by enabling a sense of control through citizen participation in policy decisions and transparent explanation in their implementation.

Risk perception and behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic: Predicting variables of compliance with lockdown measures

“…Internal locus of control, especially when in health-related settings, is also linked to higher adherence to treatments [ 80 ], and might have thus generally supported people’s compliance with lockdown norms. In keeping with this hypothesis, internal and external locus of control have been associated with decreased general mental distress [ 37 ] and increased depressive symptoms [ 81 ], respectively, during the COVID-19 pandemic.…”

“…The endogenous variables shaping the impact of perceived risk on decision-making, and thus possibly modulating behavioural responses to emergency situations and disaster preparedness, include individual dimensions defined by the sense of control over events (Locus of control; [ 29 ]), moral dispositions (Theory of Moral Foundations [ 30 – 34 ]) and personality traits [ 35 , 36 ]. In particular, an internal locus of control appears to buffer COVID-related stress [ 37 ] and mental burden [ 38 ], additionally promoting medication compliance and health-related behaviour [ 39 , 40 ]. Previous evidence on the relation between COVID-19 disease concern and sensitivity to moral wrongdoing [ 41 ] suggests that adherence to containment measures is also driven by moral values [ 42 ].…”