Free Dissertations - Psychology Dissertations

This Suggests That An External Loc Protects The Depressed Cfs Patients From ...

This suggests that an external LOC protects the depressed CFS patients from low mood.
There is a considerable body of evidence relating to the effects of locus of control attribution and depression. Banks, Morgan and Goggin, (1983) discuss how both external locus and internal locus of control attribution have been related to depression. They required that a college sample (n 100) complete the Attributional Style Scale, the Beck Depression Inventory, and Rotter's Internal-External Locus of Control Scale. There was no association between an external LOC and depression. However, an external attribution style was related to depression.In a sample of 242 students Flett, Blankstein and Kleinfeldt (1991) examined the association between depression, stressful life event and perceived causality (locus, stability, and globality). They observed no association between depression and causal attributions. However, there were significant correlations between depression and globality. Perceived controllability of the event did not moderate the association between attribution and depression. An internal attribution for an unexpected event was associated with increased depression.
This study aims to examine whether the attributions people make about the causes of chronic illness are related to their actual causes and whether there is variation depending upon the associated label. Healthy subjects will be asked to read scenarios regarding individuals suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Late Whiplash Syndrome (LWS) and Gulf War Syndrome (GWS).These conditions either will, or will not be referred to using a specific label. Non sufferers were used as such individuals will have no pre-conceptions of the causes of the conditions. As patient attributions are associated with personal and cultural beliefs, it is hypothesised that the attributions made will not be related to the actual causes of illness. It is also hypothesised that referring to the illness using a label will cause the attribution of a greater number of causes.In addition, this study will investigate whether this attribution of the causes of health are affected by the health LOC of the attributor. It is hypothesised that individuals with a more internal LOC will be more likely to describe psychological causes, such as stress and depression, as the main attributions for the illness whereas individuals with a more external LOC will be more likely to describe external, physical causes, such as a virus or the effects of pollutants.
Discussion
This study has assessed whether non-sufferers attributions of the causes of chronic illness are dependent on the cause of the illness, the associated label and the attributor's health LOC.

Order Now. It takes less than 2 minutes.

  1.  
  2.  
  1.  

Please note: The above dissertation snippet was written by a student and then submitted to us to display and help others. Thanks to all the students who have submitted their work to us.