Locus of control as a mediator of the association between attachment and children's mental health

• Published in: The Journal of genetic psychology 2019-11, Vol.180 (6), p.251-265
• Main Authors: Di Pentima, Lorenza, Toni, Alessandro, Schneider, Barry H., Tomás, José M., Oliver, Amparo, Attili, Grazia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Aggression; Aggressive behavior; Aggressiveness; Anxiety; attachment; Child; Child & adolescent mental health; Child Health; Children; Children & youth; externalizing problems; Female; Humans; Internal-External Control; internalizing problems; Locus of control; Male; Mental disorders; Mental Health; Object Attachment; Self Efficacy; Well being
• ISSN: 0022-1325; 1940-0896
• DOI: 10.1080/00221325.2019.1652557

Locus of control-the expectation that one is in control of one's outcomes in life-is linked to well-being. The authors explored one of the possible antecedents of locus of control such as secure children's attachment. The hypothesis was that locus of control acts as a mediator of the association between children's attachment and their mental health, in terms of depression, anxiety (internalizing problems), and aggression (externalizing problems). Participants were 206 children with ages ranging from 8 to 14 years. The authors obtained data from teachers as well as by self-report. Structural equations modelling yielded significant results for both a direct path from insecure attachment to internalizing problems and an indirect pathway in which locus of control functions as a mediating variable between children's attachment and internalizing problems. Although the data were consistent with the mediated pathway with regard to internalizing problems, different findings emerged for aggression. Insecure attachment was a significant predictor of aggressive behavior, while locus of control was not a mediator between attachment and aggressive behavior. The authors' findings confirm the mediating role of the locus of control between attachment and internalizing problems, but not between attachment and externalizing ones.