Validation of a New Test of Locus of Control: The Internal Control Index

Abstract

A new locus of control test, the Internal Control Index (ICI), was examined. 259 subjects completed the ICI, the Rotter Internal-External Scale of locus of control, the Beck Depression Inventory, the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Eysenck Personality Inventory, and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory. Both locus of control tests showed that internals demonstrated less depression, anxiety, and neuroticism, and more self-esteem than externals. Neither locus of control test correlated with the extroversion measure. Based partly on item analyses, it was suggested that the ICI was a better measure of locus of control than the Rotter scale.