Locus of control moderates the association of COVID-19 stress and general mental distress: results of a Norwegian and a German-speaking cross-sectional survey.

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 = 1225) and a German-speaking sample (n = 1527). 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

SUBMITTER: Krampe H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8419811 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature