Empowering Well-Being: Validation of a Locus of Control Scale Specific to Well-Being

Farnier, Joran; Shankland, Rebecca; Kotsou, Ilios; Inigo, Marion; Rosset, Evelyn; Leys, Christophe

doi:10.1007/s10902-021-00380-7

Research Paper
Published: 24 March 2021

Empowering Well-Being: Validation of a Locus of Control Scale Specific to Well-Being

Joran Farnier ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4180-2125¹,
Rebecca Shankland¹,
Ilios Kotsou²,
Marion Inigo³,
Evelyn Rosset¹ &
Christophe Leys²

Journal of Happiness Studies volume 22, pages 3513–3542 (2021)Cite this article

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Abstract

A major underlying assumption of positive psychology is that we can influence our well-being through our own behavior. It remains an open question as to whether the general public shares this perception, and how this is related to their actual level of well-being. Do they feel a sense of control over their well-being or do they see it more as subject to external influences? There is currently no defined scientific construct to describe this phenomenon. Therefore, the aim of the present research was to define a concept of a locus of control specific to well-being (WB-LOC) and develop a multidimensional scale with which to measure it (WB-LOC12). To examine the psychometric properties of the WB-LOC scale, we conducted three studies with the following analyses: an exploratory analysis in Study 1 (n = 349), a confirmatory analysis with validity and reliability evaluations in Study 2 (n = 341), and a third study (n = 586), in which we translated the scale from French into English and evaluated the factorial structure and internal consistency in diverse cultural samples. Results indicated a solid reliability and validity. Moreover, exploratory and confirmatory analyses supported the three-factor structure in both the French and English versions. In conclusion, the WB-LOC12 scale shows robust psychometric properties and can be used in further research.

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Authors and Affiliations

Laboratoire Interuniversitaire de Psychologie (LIP/PC2S), Université Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
Joran Farnier, Rebecca Shankland & Evelyn Rosset
Centre de Recherche en Psychologie Sociale Et Interculturelle, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium
Ilios Kotsou & Christophe Leys
Laboratoire Cognition, Langue, Langage, Ergonomie (CLLE), Université de Toulouse-II Jean-Jaurès, Toulouse, France
Marion Inigo

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Joran Farnier
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Rebecca Shankland
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Ilios Kotsou
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Marion Inigo
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Evelyn Rosset
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Christophe Leys
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Correspondence to Joran Farnier.

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Appendix

Appendix 1: Well-being locus of control Scale: French original version (33 items)

Appendix 2: Well-Being Locus of control Scale: English Version (12 items)

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Farnier, J., Shankland, R., Kotsou, I. et al. Empowering Well-Being: Validation of a Locus of Control Scale Specific to Well-Being. J Happiness Stud 22, 3513–3542 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00380-7

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Accepted: 16 March 2021
Published: 24 March 2021
Issue Date: December 2021
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-021-00380-7

Keywords

Well-being
Locus of control
Cross-cultural validation
Measurement
Positive psychology