Citation

Jackson ME, Tessler RC. Soc. Sci. Res. 1984; 13(3): 287-301.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1984, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/0049-089X(84)90016-4

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper examines perceptions of control over the occurrence of life events among a group of psychiatric patients interviewed at two points in time. First, perceived lack of control is treated as an independent variable affecting psychiatric symptomatology. Results show that, controlling for baseline symptomatology, perceived lack of control is significantly associated with demoralization but random with respect to delusions-hallucinations. Second, when perceived control is treated as a dependent variable results show that variation in how life events are perceived is more a function of the events that occur than of the personal dispositions of individuals. These results are compared with recently reported data from the general population.