The relationship between locus of control and depression: A cross-sectional survey with university students in Botswana
South African Journal of Psychiatry
| Field | Value | |
| Title | The relationship between locus of control and depression: A cross-sectional survey with university students in Botswana | |
| Creator | Khumalo, Tsholofelo Plattner, Ilse E. | |
| Description | Background: Research has consistently revealed a positive association between external locus of control and depression. Little, if any, research has investigated locus of control and depression in the sociocultural context of Botswana.Aim: To explore the relationship between locus of control and depression among undergraduate students in Botswana and to determine the impact of age and gender on this relationship.Setting: University of Botswana.Methods: A sample of 272 students was surveyed through a self-administered questionnaire, which included the Levenson’s multidimensional locus of control scale, the Beck Depression Inventory-II and demographic questions. Data analysis utilised descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, independent samples t-tests and standard multiple regression analysis.Results: Of the 272 participants, 47.3% scored low (minimal) levels of depression, 23.4% scored mild levels, 18.0% scored moderate levels and 11.3% scored severe levels of depression. Students who believed that they were in control of events in their lives were less likely to present with depressive symptoms (r = -0.29, p = 0.000), while students who believed that chance (r = 0.45, p = 0.000) or powerful others (r = 0.40, p = 0.000) controlled their lives were more likely to have high depression scores. Both internal and external locus of control, together with age, explained 31% of the variance in depression scores; gender made no significant contribution to levels of depression.Conclusion: The study results draw attention to locus of control as one of the cognitive variables associated with depression. Further research is needed to determine how locus of control can be addressed in the treatment and prevention of depression in university contexts. | |
| Publisher | AOSIS | |
| Date | 2019-02-19 | |
| Identifier | 10.4102/sajpsychiatry.v25i0.1221 | |
| Source | South African Journal of Psychiatry; Vol 25 (2019); 6 pages 2078-6786 1608-9685 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Relation |
The following web links (URLs) may trigger a file download or direct you to an alternative webpage to gain access to a publication file format of the published article:
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1221/1391
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1221/1390
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1221/1392
https://sajp.org.za/index.php/sajp/article/view/1221/1389
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