Locus of control and adjustment to cancer

The English form of the Cancer Locus of Control Scale was administered to an heterogeneous sample of 68 cancer patients. A principal components analysis confirmed the three subscales described in the original Dutch form, however, with five items excluded. Correlations with other measures indicated that high internal control over the course of the illness was associated with a tendency to adopt an attitude toward cancer of 'fighting spirit' whereas high internal control over the cause of the illness was associated with an 'anxious preoccupation' about cancer. No specific relationship was found between scale scores and either depression and anxiety or the tendency to be emotionally controlled. It was concluded that the scale provides a valid measure of perceptions of control of cancer patients and is a useful method of assessing these important psychological responses.