The utility of locus of control for predicting adolescent substance use

Abstract

Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine the utility of locus of control (LOC) for predicting adolescent substance use. As part of a larger three-wave cohort-sequential study (1983-1989), 155 secondary school-based adolescents completed questionnaires on substance use, personality characteristics, family/peer influences, and health behaviors. Latent variable indicators were developed from the Nowicki-Strickland Personal Reaction Survey and substance use survey items. LOC was a weak predictor of substance use. In two instances were relationships significant: (a) 7th grade LOC predicted 11th grade alcohol use; and, (b) 9th grade LOC correlated with 11th grade cannabis use. Small samples precluded analysis of gender and social class effects. SEM with panel data offers a methodological approach for examining the explanatory capability of LOC.

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics and Substance Use Among Urban African American Adolescents

“…Although prior research has identified perceived control as a correlate and predictor of substance use (Bearinger & Blum, 1997;Webster et al, 1994;Wills, 1994), control-related beliefs were not significantly linked to substance use in this study. Thus, these control-related beliefs did not mediate between neighborhood characteristics and substance use.…”

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics and Substance Use Among Urban African American Adolescents

“…Although prior research has identified perceived control as a correlate and predictor of substance use (Bearinger & Blum, 1997;Webster et al, 1994;Wills, 1994), control-related beliefs were not significantly linked to substance use in this study. Thus, these control-related beliefs did not mediate between neighborhood characteristics and substance use.…”

Psychological Factors Related with Substance Use Among Regularly Drinking University Students with Low Income

“…Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinde madde kullanımı ile ilişkili olarak düşük düzeyde strese yatkınlık bulunmasına karşılık çoğu çalışma bulgularında stresle başetme (Luthar ve D'Avanzo 1999;Park ve Levenson, 2002) ve iç kontrol odağı inancı ile ilişkili olduğu belirtilmektedir (Bearinger ve Blum, 1997). Başka bir çalışmada çalışan gençlerde umutsuzluk, alkol kullanımı problemleri ile ilişkili bulunmuştur (İlhan vd., 2007).…”

Perceived control in adolescent substance use: Concurrent and longitudinal analyses.

“…Although our concurrent findings are inconsistent with the results of the cross-sectional studies of Williams (1973) indicating that smoking was associated with external locus of control among girls but not boys, and of Wills (1994), who found that negative control was related to substance use among girls but not boys, our longitudinal findings point in the same direction. Bearinger and Blum (1997), in a longitudinal study, found locus of control to be a weak predictor of substance use, but the question arises whether those results could be due to the gender differences they could not examine, given the sample size.…”

“…These questions need further exploration. To date, differences between girls' and boys' perceived control and their substance use have received little attention in research (Bearinger & Blum, 1997). Thus, tests of hypotheses as a basis for theoretical explanations are needed in this area.…”

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics and Substance Use Among Urban African American Adolescents

“…Although prior research has identified perceived control as a correlate and predictor of substance use (Bearinger & Blum, 1997;Webster et al, 1994;Wills, 1994), control-related beliefs were not significantly linked to substance use in this study. Thus, these control-related beliefs did not mediate between neighborhood characteristics and substance use.…”

Psychological Factors Related with Substance Use Among Regularly Drinking University Students with Low Income

“…Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinde madde kullanımı ile ilişkili olarak düşük düzeyde strese yatkınlık bulunmasına karşılık çoğu çalışma bulgularında stresle başetme (Luthar ve D'Avanzo 1999;Park ve Levenson, 2002) ve iç kontrol odağı inancı ile ilişkili olduğu belirtilmektedir (Bearinger ve Blum, 1997). Başka bir çalışmada çalışan gençlerde umutsuzluk, alkol kullanımı problemleri ile ilişkili bulunmuştur (İlhan vd., 2007).…”

Perceived control in adolescent substance use: Concurrent and longitudinal analyses.

“…Although our concurrent findings are inconsistent with the results of the cross-sectional studies of Williams (1973) indicating that smoking was associated with external locus of control among girls but not boys, and of Wills (1994), who found that negative control was related to substance use among girls but not boys, our longitudinal findings point in the same direction. Bearinger and Blum (1997), in a longitudinal study, found locus of control to be a weak predictor of substance use, but the question arises whether those results could be due to the gender differences they could not examine, given the sample size.…”

“…These questions need further exploration. To date, differences between girls' and boys' perceived control and their substance use have received little attention in research (Bearinger & Blum, 1997). Thus, tests of hypotheses as a basis for theoretical explanations are needed in this area.…”

The Relationship Between Perceptions of Neighborhood Characteristics and Substance Use Among Urban African American Adolescents

“…Although prior research has identified perceived control as a correlate and predictor of substance use (Bearinger & Blum, 1997;Webster et al, 1994;Wills, 1994), control-related beliefs were not significantly linked to substance use in this study. Thus, these control-related beliefs did not mediate between neighborhood characteristics and substance use.…”

Psychological Factors Related with Substance Use Among Regularly Drinking University Students with Low Income

“…Bu çalışmada, üniversite öğrencilerinde madde kullanımı ile ilişkili olarak düşük düzeyde strese yatkınlık bulunmasına karşılık çoğu çalışma bulgularında stresle başetme (Luthar ve D'Avanzo 1999;Park ve Levenson, 2002) ve iç kontrol odağı inancı ile ilişkili olduğu belirtilmektedir (Bearinger ve Blum, 1997). Başka bir çalışmada çalışan gençlerde umutsuzluk, alkol kullanımı problemleri ile ilişkili bulunmuştur (İlhan vd., 2007).…”

Perceived control in adolescent substance use: Concurrent and longitudinal analyses.

“…Although our concurrent findings are inconsistent with the results of the cross-sectional studies of Williams (1973) indicating that smoking was associated with external locus of control among girls but not boys, and of Wills (1994), who found that negative control was related to substance use among girls but not boys, our longitudinal findings point in the same direction. Bearinger and Blum (1997), in a longitudinal study, found locus of control to be a weak predictor of substance use, but the question arises whether those results could be due to the gender differences they could not examine, given the sample size.…”

“…These questions need further exploration. To date, differences between girls' and boys' perceived control and their substance use have received little attention in research (Bearinger & Blum, 1997). Thus, tests of hypotheses as a basis for theoretical explanations are needed in this area.…”