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

Sara Filipiak; Beata Łubianka

doi:10.1111/bjdp.12483

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

Br J Dev Psychol. 2024 Mar 19. doi: 10.1111/bjdp.12483. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Sara Filipiak¹, Beata Łubianka²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Institute of Psychology, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, Lublin, Poland.
² Department of Psychology, Jan Kochanowski University, Kielce, Poland.

PMID: 38501451
DOI: 10.1111/bjdp.12483

Abstract

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.

Keywords: early adolescence; five-factor model; gender; locus of control.