Social capital and health beliefs: Exploring the effect of bridging and bonding social capital on health locus of control among women in Dhaka.

This cross-sectional study examined if social capital affects women's health attributions. The study used the Internet Social Capital Scale (ISCS) and Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scale to measure Social Capital and Health Locus of Control. A predefined 38-item questionnaire was used to survey 485 purposively selected women. A bidirectional reciprocal structural equation model was used to measure the covariance between Social Capital and Health Locus of Control. We hypothesized that women with strong social capital, particularly those rich in bridging ties, would exhibit a greater sense of agency and empowerment over their health, attributing their health outcomes less to internal factors like fate and more to external influences like powerful others and broader social support. However, we found that when women have higher social capital, their external health locus of control increases. Bridging and bonding social capital lower women's internal health control, but bridging social capital leads to higher attributes to powerful others. Likewise, we expected women with more social capital would exhibit a lower perception of uncontrollability over their health, but is not the case. The findings underscore the necessity for women to have more social capital.

Blending Behavioural Theory and Narrative Analysis to Explore the Lived Experience of Obesity and Assess Potential Engagement in a UK Weight Management Service: Theory and Narrative Approaches in Weight Management.

BACKGROUND: Current treatments for people with obesity emphasise the need for person-centred approaches that consider complex biopsychosocial factors and value the lived experience of people when attempting to lose weight. METHODS: Narrative interviews (n = 20) were conducted with people living with obesity to explore the causes of their weight gain and their expectations and engagement with treatment at a Weight Management Clinic. A mixed inductive and deductive qualitative analysis identified utterances that represented psychological constructs used to understand self-appraisal and health behaviour. A narrative analysis was used to situate these findings in the context of a participant's life story. RESULTS: Locus of control was a dominant construct evidenced through a person's attributional style and self-efficacy. Transcripts represented a heightened sense of self-understanding and shifts in control, and styles of attribution and efficacy resulted in either stasis or self-actualisation. The Stages of Change model could be applied to narratives to ascertain a patient's motivation to access treatment. Importantly, narrative interviews also allowed for the consideration of how a person's systemic context influenced their weight. CONCLUSION: Narrative interaction supports both self- and shared understandings of the causes and consequences of obesity for individuals, in a non-blaming or shaming manner. It provides an opportunity to enhance engagement through tailored, person-centred treatments.

Anticipatory anxiety of seizures in epilepsy: A common, complex, and underrecognized phenomenon?

The diagnosis of epilepsy is associated with loss of predictability, which invariably results in the fear of when and if future seizures will occur. For a subset of patients with epilepsy (PWE), there may be a pathological persistent fear of seizure occurrence, resulting in limitations to daily activities through avoidant behaviors. Paradoxically, the research of anticipatory anxiety of seizures (AAS; also referred to as seizure phobia) has been practically nonexistent and, not surprisingly, this condition remains underrecognized by clinicians. The available data are derived from three small case series of patients followed in tertiary epilepsy centers. In this study, we review the available data on the reported clinical manifestations of AAS in PWE, and of the potential role of variables associated with it, such as personal and family psychosocial and psychiatric history and epilepsy-related variables. In addition, we review the need for the creation of screening tools to identify patients at risk of AAS and discuss potential treatment strategies, which could be considered as part of the comprehensive management for PWE.

Childhood Adversity and Incident Psychotic Experiences in Early Adulthood: Cognitive and Psychopathological Mediators.

BACKGROUND AND HYPOTHESIS: Childhood adversity is often described as a potential cause of incident psychotic experiences, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We aimed to examine the mediating role of cognitive and psychopathological factors in the relation between childhood adversity and incident psychotic experiences in early adulthood. STUDY DESIGN: We analyzed data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a large population-based cohort study. Childhood adversity was measured prospectively from birth to age 11 years, mediators (anxiety, depression, external locus of control [LoC], negative symptoms) were assessed at approximately 16 years of age, and incident psychotic experiences were assessed at ages 18 and 24 years. Mediation was examined via the counterfactual g-computation formula. STUDY RESULTS: In total, 7% of participants had incident suspected or definite psychotic experiences in early adulthood. Childhood adversity was related to more incident psychotic experiences (ORadjusted = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.21; 1.49), and this association was partially mediated via all mediators examined (proportion mediated: 19.9%). In separate analyses for each mediator, anxiety, depression, external LoC, and negative symptoms were all found to mediate the link between adversity and incident psychotic experiences. Accounting for potential confounders did not modify our results. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that cognitive biases as well as mood symptomatology may be on the causal pathway between early-life adversity and the development of psychotic experiences. Future studies should determine which mediating factors are most easily modifiable and most likely to reduce the risk of developing psychotic experiences.

Explaining differences in self-focused and other-involved public health preventive behaviors between the US and China: the role of self- construal and health locus of control.

Background: This study examined national similarities and differences in people's engagement in health preventive behaviors during a public health crisis, as well as investigated the underlying individual-level psychological mechanisms. A conceptual distinction was made between self-focused and other-involved preventive behaviors in response to public health crises. Method: Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted in the United States (N = 888) and China (N = 844) during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hayes' PROCESS was utilized to assess national differences in seven preventive behaviors, along with the mediating effects of self-construal and health locus of control. Results: The results showed that American participants reported greater engagement in self-focused preventive behaviors than Chinese, whereas Chinese participants reported greater engagement in other-involved preventive behaviors than Americans. Chinese participants also engaged more in other-involved than self-focused preventive behaviors. Self-construal and health locus of control partially explained the observed differences in engagement in preventive behaviors. Discussion: This study introduces a culture-sensitive approach to provide insights for crafting communication interventions that can enhance the effectiveness of health campaigns in the context of a public health crisis.

Exploring the relationship between personality traits and locus of control in early adolescence. Does gender play a role?

The main aim of this study was to analyse associations between the five-factor model personality traits and locus of control of successes and failures based on the theory of social learning and to assess whether gender moderated relationships between these variables in Polish early adolescents. The following instruments were used: the Picture Based Personality Survey for Children and the Locus of Control Questionnaire. A total of 1016 students participated in the study, including 49% boys and 51% girls. Both for girls and boys, the highest correlations were found between conscientiousness and locus of control in success situations. Neuroticism correlated negatively with the two types of locus of control. A moderating effect of gender was observed between openness to experience and locus of control of successes, and it was stronger in girls than in boys.

The self-management experiences of individuals who perceive health as beyond their control: An interpretive phenomenological study of individuals with ischemic heart disease.

This qualitative study aimed to gain an understanding of what it means to live with ischemic heart disease for individuals who perceive health as beyond their control and how these individuals navigate their choices regarding adhering or not adhering to self-management behavior. Participants were recruited through purposive sampling, and semi-structured interviews were conducted. Content analysis was employed to identify themes and subthemes in the interview data. The theme, "attribution of ischemic heart disease," revealed that the participants attributed their condition to lifestyle, critical events, and the natural aging process. The theme, "experiences of self-management," highlighted the different behaviors among participants who perceived health to be beyond their control. The theme, "barriers and facilitators," identified factors such as a strong sense of responsibility toward family members, the work environment, and access to medical resources. Our study showed that despite perceiving their health to be beyond their control, some individuals may still adhere to self-management practices. Understanding factors such as "attribution" and "barriers and facilitators" can provide nurses with insights into the patients' decisions to adhere or not adhere to self-management behaviors.

Fatalism and depressive symptoms among Chinese college students: Mediation models of locus of control and positive coping.

Fatalistic voluntarism and classic fatalism have opposite effects on depression. This study attempted to measure fatalistic voluntarism with the magnanimity of Taoist values and examined the internal mechanism by which classic fatalism and magnanimity influenced depression. A total of 525 Chinese college students effectively completed self-reported questionnaires. Results showed that classic fatalism is positively correlated with depression, and magnanimity is negatively correlated with depression. Furthermore, classic fatalism and magnanimity can influence depression in Chinese college students through serial mediation by locus of control and positive coping. These findings illuminate the mediating role of locus of control and positive coping, providing specific ways to use two different belief systems, which can help reduce depressive symptoms among college students. In addition, our study may provide some ideas for the development of local culture in the promotion of mental health in different regions.

Exploring the impacts of perceived locus of control on post-traumatic stress disorder among disaster survivors: A systematic review.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT?: It was previously reported that perceived external locus of control may exacerbate depressive symptoms, is associated with anxiety, boosts stress and general mental distress and weakens resilience against traumatic situations or difficulties. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE?: Those with a higher external locus of control are more prone to develop PTSD symptoms since the perceived external locus of control is among the predictors of PTSD. An internal locus of control is considered important in preventing PTSD, although an external locus of control appears to be a variable that causes/increases the prevalence of PTSD. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE?: It is known that nurses are deployed in clinical and fieldwork during disaster and assume key roles both interventional practices and psychosocial education. Thus, it is of particular importance for mental health nurses to be aware of the locus of control in themselves, their colleagues, and the community before, during and after disasters to be able to combat the risk/presence of PTSD. ABSTRACT: AIM: The present systematic review explored the impacts of perceived locus of control on PTSD among individuals experiencing disasters. METHOD: This is a systematic review study carried out through a search of the relevant research published in English over the period December 2021 to April 2022. Accordingly, we sought the studies to review on the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane and Google Scholar databases using the keywords "Child, Children, Adolescent, Adolescence, Adult, Aged, Elderly, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, PTSD, Internal-External Control, Locus of Control, Disasters, Natural Disasters." RESULTS: A total of 1.011 studies were found in the five databases using the keywords above. Following the exclusions, the remaining six studies were recruited for this systematic review. The six studies in question addressed earthquakes (2), hurricanes (1), wildfires (1), SARS (1) and fireworks explosions (1). In the study with wildfire survivors, there was a weak significant association between external locus of control and PTSD among those directly exposed to the disaster (r = .15, p < .01). The study with survivors of the SARS epidemic demonstrated that those with a high perceived chance (external) locus of control suffered PTSD (p = .001). An internal locus of control is considered important in preventing PTSD, although an external locus of control appears to be a variable that causes/increases the prevalence of PTSD. CONCLUSION: It was concluded that perceived locus of control is related to PTSD in individuals experiencing a disaster. The additional evidence was that post-disaster PTSD among those with a high perceived external locus of control is stronger than those with a high perceived internal locus of control.

Psychological separation, health locus of control, and transition readiness in adolescents and young adults with type I diabetes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of psychological separation and health locus of control on the health care transition readiness of adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Data were collected between December 2020 and October 2021. One hundred twelve AYAs with type 1 diabetes treated at a tertiary hospital and under follow-up observation as well as AYAs with type 1 diabetes nationwide who were part of the type 1 diabetes internet community were enrolled. The Psychological Separation Inventory, the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scale from C, and the Self-management and Transition to Adulthood with Therapeutics = Rx Questionnaire were used. RESULTS: Multiple regression analysis indicated that age (ß = 0.302, p = .001), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (ß = -0.174, p = .040), conflictual separation (ß = 0.242, p = .005), functional separation (ß = 0.200, p = .045) and attitudinal separation (ß = -0.240 p = .015) were significantly associated with health management transition readiness; these predictors explained 27.6% of health care transition readiness (F = 8.062, p = .000). CONCLUSIONS: AYAs with type 1 diabetes can enhance readiness for health care transition by fostering psychological separation from parents, effectively managing blood glucose levels, and taking into account age-related factors during the preparation process. At this point, it is essential for healthcare professionals to guide parents in recognizing adolescents' psychological independence and facilitating their supportive role through the process of redefining their roles. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Health care providers should promote psychological separation in AYAs. Additionally, taking into account the developmental characteristics of adolescence can facilitate a successful health care transition.

Psychological well-being and factors affecting it after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has enormously impacted human activity worldwide, partly due to many governments issuing stay-at-home orders and limiting the types of social interactions citizens can engage in. Hence, this study investigated psychological well-being and factors affecting it after the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A total of 345 participants were recruited in the study. This research was conducted between February and May 2023 in Sarab, East Azerbaijan, Iran. To measure the data, valid and reliable instruments of Goldberg's General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28), Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC), interpersonal support evaluation list (ISEL-SF), and health-protective behaviors checklist instrument were used. Results: According to the results, health locus of control (r = 0.227; p < 0.001), social support (r = 0.339; p < 0.001), and COVID-19 preventive behaviors (r = 0.376; p < 0.001) were positively correlated with psychological well-being. The strongest correlation was observed between psychological well-being and protective behaviors (r = 0.376; p < 0.001). In the hierarchical regression model, total, demographic characteristics along with health locus of control, social support, covid-19 preventive behaviors, and history of COVID-19 infection were able to explain 57.4% of the variation in psychological well-being. Discussion: Public healthcare providers' and policymakers' preventive and supportive actions are highly advised for promoting health locus of control and social support in adults after the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, it is better to include a community's social and environmental changes.

Media exposure and plastic-reducing behaviours in China: The mediating effect of environmental concern and locus of control.

The environmental problems caused by plastic pollution have increased at an astonishing speed. However, attempts to study the dynamics of plastic-reducing behaviours are few and far between. In this regard, based on the attitudinal-contextual-behavioural (ABC) theory of pro-environmental behaviours, this study conducts an online survey to analyse the functioning of media exposure on Chinese consumers' three types of plastic bag reducing behaviours during shopping, including saving inner plastic packaging bags by putting many goods into one bag, hand-carrying and bringing reusable bags. Employing the snowball sampling method, this study successfully collected 361 valid questionnaires for analysis. The findings of this study indicate that environmental concern and locus of control play mediating roles between media exposure and plastic-reducing behaviours. However, the study finds no supporting evidence for the mediating function of plastic pollution knowledge. These results have implications for plastic crisis managers and governmental officials. In designing media content for environmental education campaigns, it is advisable to prioritize strategies that evoke emotions over a sole focus on disseminating knowledge about plastic pollution.

Associations among loneliness, internal locus of control and subjective accelerated ageing in older adults who received the booster vaccination.

BACKGROUND: A rise in loneliness among older adults since the COVID-19 outbreak, even after vaccination, has been highlighted. Loneliness has deleterious consequences, with specific effects on perceptions of the ageing process during the COVID-19 pandemic. Coping with stressful life events and the challenges of ageing may result in a perception of acceleration of this process. AIM: Studies have shown a buffering effect of an internal locus of control in the relationship between COVID-19 stress and mental distress. The current study examined whether loneliness predicts subjective accelerated ageing and whether internal locus of control moderates this relationship. METHOD: Two waves of community-dwelling older adults (M = 70.44, s.d. = 5.95; age range 61-88 years), vaccinated three times, were sampled by a web-survey company. Participants completed the questionnaire after the beginning of the third vaccination campaign and reported again 4 months later on loneliness, internal locus of control and subjective accelerated ageing level in the second wave. RESULTS: Participants with higher levels of loneliness presented 4 months later with higher subjective accelerated ageing. Participants with a low level of internal locus of control presented 4 months later with high subjective accelerated ageing, regardless of their loneliness level. Participants with a high level of internal locus of control and a low level of loneliness presented with the lowest subjective accelerated ageing 4 months later. CONCLUSIONS: The findings emphasise the deleterious effects of loneliness and low internal locus of control on older adults' perception of their ageing process. Practitioners should focus their interventions not only on loneliness but also on improving the sense of internal locus of control to improve subjective accelerated ageing.

Quality of life among French breast cancer survivors in comparison with cancer-free women: the Seintinelles study.

BACKGROUND: Health-Related Quality of life (HRQoL) in cancer survivors can be significantly affected in the long-term by various consequences resulting from differing levels of severity of cancer and its treatments. Our objective was to identify factors associated with HRQoL in breast cancer survivors (BCSs) and cancer-free women (CFWs). METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in Seintinelles volunteers who answered online questionnaires between September 15, 2020 and February 5, 2021. HRQoL was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire. We collected data on sociodemographic and health-related factors, lifestyle habits, coping mechanisms, locus of control, and health literacy. SAS version 9.4 statistical software was used for analyses. We performed descriptive analyses of the characteristics of the participants in each group and compared these characteristics between the two groups using the Chi2 test or the Student t-test. The adjusted means of the scores of different psychometric scales were calculated and compared using the method of least squares to fit general linear models (GLM) while adjusting for various factors. Multiple linear or multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the factors associated with WHOQOL-BREF scores, separately, in the two groups of participants. RESULTS: The study involved 722 BCSs and 1359 CFWs aged 26-75 years. BCSs had significantly lower physical health scores and were less likely to be satisfied with their health compared to CFWs (59.5 vs. 63.2, p < 0.0001; and 56.5% vs. 75.2%, p = 0.002, respectively). In both groups, some common factors were positively associated with physical health (high financial level, being professionally active, normal BMI, good health status, alcohol consumption, higher values (> 22) of internal locus of control); or inversely associated (neurological and sleep problems, over two medical consultations/year). In BCSs, treatment by mastectomy or radiation therapy/brachytherapy, a short-time since diagnosis, current cancer therapy, and presence of sequalae were inversely associated with physical health. BCSs' health satisfaction was diminished with lower values of coping by positive thinking (≤ 14) and seeking social support (≤ 18). CONCLUSIONS: HRQoL can be improved by developing strategies that increase internal locus of control and coping (positive thinking, problem-solving and seeking social support), and through health literacy.

The longitudinal relationship between well-being comparisons and anxiety symptoms in the context of uncontrollability of worries and external locus of control: a two-wave study.

BACKGROUND: Anxiety is a prevalent mental health condition. Comparisons of one's own well-being to different aversive standards may contribute to the development and maintenance of anxiety symptoms. OBJECTIVES: Our primary goal was to investigate whether aversive well-being comparisons predict anxiety symptoms and vice versa. Additionally, we aimed at examining exploratorily whether well-being comparisons are reciprocally related to metacognitive beliefs about worrying and external control beliefs. METHODS: In this two-wave longitudinal survey design, 922 participants completed measures of anxiety, metacognitions about the uncontrollability of worries, external locus of control, and the Comparison Standards Scale for Well-being (CSS-W) at two timepoints, three-months apart. The CSS-W assesses the frequency, perceived discrepancy, and affective impact of social, temporal, counterfactual, and criteria-based comparisons. RESULTS: When autoregressive effects were adjusted for, aversive comparison frequency, comparison affective impact, and uncontrollability of worries at the first timepoint predicted subsequent anxiety symptoms. Furthermore, well-being comparison frequency and discrepancy at the second timepoint were predicted by baseline anxiety symptoms. External locus of control predicted comparison frequency and discrepancy. CONCLUSIONS: Well-being comparisons contribute distinct variance to anxiety symptoms and vice versa, pointing to a vicious cirlcle of symptom escalation. These findings have significant implications for future research.

Psychosocial interventions affecting global perceptions of control in people with Parkinson's disease: a scoping review.

PURPOSE: Perceived control is an important construct for the psychological well-being of people affected by chronic conditions, and higher perceived control is associated with better outcomes. Psychosocial interventions have been trialled in these populations to improve both global and specific perceptions of control. However, most interventions involving people with Parkinson's have focused on single-domain forms of control, while those addressing global perceived control are yet to be reviewed. This study aimed to identify and map the types of psychosocial interventions in individuals with Parkinson's which have included forms of global perceived control as an outcome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Scoping review based on a search across MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Academic Search Ultimate. RESULTS: From an initial return of 4388 citations, 12 citations were eventually included. These consisted of 8 quantitative and 4 qualitative studies, and covered 4 overarching categories of psychosocial interventions. Mixed results were found for cognitive, educational, and physical interventions, while a randomised controlled trial on mindfulness-based lifestyle programme showed more preliminary positive evidence. CONCLUSIONS: Further rigorous research is required on the topic to build on these preliminary findings. In the meantime, clinicians may need to consider programmes which proved effective with populations similar to people with Parkinson's.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONPerceived control is a psychological construct important for people with chronic illnesses, which can be targeted by psychosocial interventions.This article reviewed psychosocial interventions targeting global forms of perceived control in Parkinson's.Mixed results were reported for the cognitive, educational, and physical interventions identified, while a randomised controlled trial on a mindfulness-based lifestyle programme showed more promising evidence.In the meantime, clinicians may need to consider programmes found to be effective with people with similar conditions to Parkinson's.

Perceived control as a predictor of medication adherence in people with Parkinson's: a large-scale cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Medication adherence is a multi-faceted construct associated with several positive consequences in people with chronic conditions. However, non-adherence currently represents a major issue in Parkinson's, potentially due to low perceptions of control. This study investigated the predictive ability of several aspects of perceived control on adherence in people with Parkinson's, while accounting for previously established predictors such as depression and medication variables. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was carried out with 1210 adults with Parkinson's from 15 English-speaking countries. Demographic and clinical questions, as well as measures of depression, aspects of perceived control, and medication adherence were included. Pearson's correlations and a 4-block hierarchical regression analysis were performed to assess the relationship between the variables. RESULTS: Perceived control explained a slightly higher amount of variance in medication adherence compared to medication variables when entered in the last block. Unexpectedly, depression was not significantly related with adherence. Internal locus of control was an independent negative predictor of adherence, while external dimensions of locus of control emerged as independent positive predictors. CONCLUSIONS: In people with Parkinson's, perceptions of control may have a larger impact on adherence compared to medication variables. Implications for clinical practice and future research are discussed.Implications for RehabilitationPerceived control and depression are considered important constructs for medication adherence in Parkinson's, which in turn is often problematic for affected individuals.The specific predictive value of different aspects of perceived control on medication adherence in Parkinson's is currently unclear.This large-scale study found that perceptions of control may have a larger impact on adherence compared to medication variables, while depression was unrelated to it.A need for psychologically-informed interventions, person-centred approaches to medication management, and Parkinson-specific measures of adherence are highlighted.

Locus of control, self-control, and health outcomes.

We provide the first empirical evidence on the direct link between locus of control and self-control, and how they interact in explaining a range of health outcomes. Using rich Australian survey data, we find that, while the two traits are distinct constructs, a greater internal locus of control is associated with higher self-control. The association between locus of control and health is reduced once we control for self-control, suggesting that self-control mediates at least part of this relationship. Finally, an internal locus of control amplifies the beneficial effects of self-control particularly for physical health.

Maternal depressive symptoms and young people's higher education participation and choice of university: Evidence from a longitudinal cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Participation in higher education has significant and long-lasting consequences for people's socioeconomic trajectories. Maternal depression is linked to poorer educational achievement for children in school, but its impact on university attendance is unclear. METHODS: In an English longitudinal cohort study (N = 8952), we explore whether young people whose mothers experienced elevated depressive symptoms are less likely to attend university, and the role of potential mediators in the young person: educational achievement in school, depressive symptoms, and locus of control. We also examine whether maternal depressive symptoms influence young people's choice of university, and non-attendees' reasons for not participating in higher education. RESULTS: Young people whose mothers experienced more recurrent depressive symptoms were less likely to attend university (OR = 0.88, CI = 0.82,0.94, p < 0.001) per occasion of elevated maternal depressive symptoms) after adjusting for confounders. Mediation analysis indicated this was largely explained by educational achievement in school (e.g., 82.7 % mediated by age 16 achievement) and locus of control at 16. There was mixed evidence for an impact on choice of university. For participants who did not study at university, maternal depressive symptoms were linked to stating as a reason having had other priorities to do with family or children (OR: 1.17, CI = 1.02,1.35). LIMITATIONS: Lack of data on the other parent's depression, loss to follow-up, possibly selective non-response. CONCLUSIONS: Young people whose mothers experience elevated depressive symptoms on multiple occasions are less likely to participate in higher education; educational achievement in secondary school, but not the young people's own depressive symptoms, substantially mediated the effect.

Locus of Control and Self-Directed Learning Readiness of Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study from Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has caused one of the worst global pandemics in recent decades. It has disrupted education systems worldwide, leading to a forced shift from traditional face-to-face to blended or fully distanced learning, requiring a higher level of student readiness for self-directed learning (SDL) and a more internal locus of control (LOC). OBJECTIVE: This study explored the relationship between locus of control and level of readiness for SDL among Saudi nursing students and whether the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted this relationship. METHODS: A cross-sectional correlational descriptive study was conducted to survey 277 Saudi nursing students enrolled in the bachelor program at one of the reputable universities in Saudi Arabia. An E-questionnaire containing two scales, the Self-Directed Learning Readiness Scale for Nursing Education, and the Locus of Control Scale, was used to collect data in addition to the selected participants' characteristics. RESULTS: Nursing students had a moderate-to-low level of readiness for SDL (mean = 144.0), and the majority had an external LOC. There was a significant association between locus of control and level of readiness for self-directed learning (r = 0.19 *, p = 0.001), and the internal locus of control was more significantly associated with self-directed learning (r = 0.22 *, p = 0.0001) than with external locus of control. CONCLUSION: The study findings indicate a propensity of respondents indicating an external locus of control, whereas most of the respondents' reported levels of readiness ranged between low and moderate across all dimensions of self-directed learning. This study was not registered.