Validation of an Adaptation of Levenson’s Locus of Control Scale With Adult Male Incarcerated Sexual Offenders

Abstract

This article examines the psychometric properties of an adaptation of Levenson's Locus of Control (LoC) measure that is used by the English and Welsh Prison Service as part of the psychometric assessment battery for sexual offenders participating in the Sex Offender Treatment Programme (SOTP). Reliability and validity analyses were conducted on a sample of 2,497 sexual offenders who had completed SOTP. Internal consistency, convergent validity, and relationship to socially desirable responding were investigated. Construct validity was assessed via exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Test-retest reliability data were collected from an additional sample of 26 sexual offenders. The scale was found to have excellent internal consistency, good test-retest reliability, and weak to moderate convergent validity with measures of self-esteem, attachment styles, emotional loneliness, and social problem solving. There was a moderate correlation between the scale and socially desirable responding. EFA and CFA suggested that a four-factor solution provided an acceptable fit to the data, with the factors relating to constructs of chance, problem solving, powerful others, and internal control. The findings of the present study suggest that the adapted LoC Scale is a useful tool for assessing sexual offenders' locus of control.

Locus of Control revisited: Development of a new bi-dimensional measure

“…Thus, for example, the model proposed by Levenson (1974) has been anales de psicología, 2016, vol. 32, nº 2 (mayo) confirmed in the clinical field (Stevens, Hamilton, & Wallston, 2011); in the educational context, with samples of adults with and without children (Furnham, 2010); and in the prison context with samples of offenders (Huntley, Palmer, & Wakeling, 2012).…”

Design of the “Up2U” domestic abuse perpetrator programme

“…CBT programmes that specifically target social problem-solving skills among general offenders have demonstrated improvements in intermediary treatment targets including impulsivity levels and locus of control (LoC) (McDougall et al , 2009), problem-solving skills (McMurran et al , 2001), frustration tolerance, social conformity, and critical reasoning (Tapp et al , 2009). LoC has been found to correlate with measures of social problem-solving ability and self-esteem, both in the wider personality literature and with offenders (Huntley et al , 2012). LoC is the extent to which a client believes he/she has control over his/her life and how he/she attributes causes to events.…”

‘People like me don’t have much of a chance in life’: comparing the locus of control of young people in foster care with that of adoptees, children from disadvantaged backgrounds and children in the general population

“…It can change over time or be situation dependent (Rotter, 1966;Ryon and Gleason, 2014). For example, if imprisoned, individuals' locus of control can becomemore externalised due to their decision-making powers having been removed by powerful others such as prison officers (Huntley, Palmer and Wakeling, 2012). Research suggests that individuals with a bias towards an internal locus of control enjoy better health and well-being.…”