Relationships and characteristics of locus of control and trait anxiety among inpatients

This study investigated the locus of control and anxiety characteristics of psychiatric patients in a 9-week residential skill training program. Statistical analyses of the admission responses of 127 patients showed that greater internality on the I-E Scale was related to lower STAI Trait Anxiety scores. Further, significant I-E and STAI Scale differences were found between patients in varying diagnostic categories. Conduct disordered patients were significantly more internal than other diagnostic groups, and the trait anxiety mean score for neurotic patients was significantly higher than that of conduct disordered and psychotic patients. Finally, statistical analyses compared scores from the pre- and post-treatment administrations of the I-E and STAI A-Trait Scales for a subgroup of 44 patients. Results demonstrated significant shifts toward greater internality and lower trait anxiety as a function of short-term skill training treatment.