Coping During Covid-19: A Study on How Locus of Control Influences Coping Response in an Uncontrollable Situation

Among a group of predominantly Asian high school students in the New York suburbs, Isabel conducted a study exploring the relationship between locus of control (LOC) and coping strategies during the Covid-19 pandemic. Rotter’s LOC scale and the Brief COPE Inventory were used to examine this relationship. Her results show that an internal LOC has a significant correlation with problem-focused coping behaviors. A similar trend was observed between internal LOC and two subcategories of problem-focused coping: active coping and planning. This suggests that an increase in internality corresponds with increased use of problem-focused coping strategies. Meanwhile, Isabel also found that external LOC has significant correlations with emotion-focused and avoidant coping. Similar trends were observed between external LOC and subcategories of emotion-focused and avoidant coping. When the data were stratified by gender, nonmen scored significantly higher than men in all three general coping categories. She also observed gender discrepancies between LOC and problem and emotion-focused coping. This indicates that the trends observed between internals and externals are more nuanced than they appear. Isabel's findings suggest that both gender and LOC influence coping response in suburban adolescents in an uncontrollable situation. Both can serve as helpful tools in psychological interventions during the pandemic.