The Impact of Violent Victimization on Locus of Control in Adolescence

Abstract

Locus of control is an important psychological construct that relates to the likelihood of social success and even resilience to difficult stressors. Although framed as internal or external, empirical research has shown that beliefs in the ability to control one’s life and circumstances may be more of a spectrum. Research has shown that external events, often framed in childhood, shape whether one holds an internal or external locus of control, but violent crime victimization remains underexplored in this context. The current study expands on this point by utilizing the first two waves of data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Adolescent to Adult Health to emphasize the critical developmental period of adolescence, both psychologically and in terms of risk of victimization. The mean ages are 15.63 and 16.02 in this context. The Add Health study examines a nationally representative sample of youth tracked into adulthood, with the primary focus of the current study examining changes in early and middle adolescence. Locus of control is assessed via latent factor analysis of attitudinal measures, and regressed upon violent victimization, temporally addressed, social supports and risks and prior attitudes tapping prior assessment of locus. Results illustrate that victimization impacts locus of control, but that this relationship may be temporally defined. Path analyses reveal indirect connections between victimization and altered social relationships, including peer socialization patterns, which subsequently impact locus perception. The study contributes to psychological, sociological and criminological insights into evolving resiliency, self-comprehension and increased risk of delinquency involvement. Findings open inquiry into theoretical integration, opportunities to revisit victim–offender overlap research and considerations for therapeutic interventions.