Abstract:

The aim of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of the Chinese edition of Multidimension Multiattribution Causality Scale (MMCS), and the structural and characteristics of Chinese students’ locus of control. 925 undergraduates from a national university were administered MMCS scale, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was employed to analyze the data. The relationship between Locus of Control and mental health (measured by SCL-90 scale) was also analyzed. The results show that the reliability of Chinese edition MMCS is equivalent to its English counterpart. In confirmatory factor analysis when negative-and-positively-worded-items effects induced into the model, 4 factor (effort, ability, context, luck) model and 8 factor (effort, ability, context, luck divided equally into two section, e.g. achievement and affiliation) model of MMCS attain comparatively good fit (CFI=IFI=0.89, RMAES and SRMR<0.05). when the 8 subscale scores were factor analyzed, 2 factors with eigenvalues higher than 1 were extracted, 4 internal scales load exclusively on one factor, and 4 external scales load exclusively on another factor. These results indicate that the internal-external control theory of Rottor is reasonable in Chinese subjects. Further analysis of the data shows that in Chinese subjects the tendency of internal and external control is positively correlated (r=0-31). Indicates in Chinese internal and external control are not extremes of one dimension, they are in some extent inter-connected. The subjects’ total scores on internal subscales are higher than that on external ones, indicates Chinese subjects tend to endorse internal control values. Internal and external control all correlate positively with SCL-90 subscales (r=0.151 for internal and r=0.416 for external). Shows that the more stronger a person is externally controlled, the worse is his mental health condition. But too stronger internal control is also harmful to mental health. As a conclusion, Chinese edition MMCS show satisfactory reliability and validity, it is an applicable in Chinese culture, in Chinese subjects there are also internal and external control dimensions in personality structure. But the dimensions are correlated rather than independent. External control is a stronger indicator of psychological unhealthy compared to internal control, the most adaptive control manner in Chinese culture maybe moderate and appropriate control in specific condition.

Key words: Locus of Control, MMCS, SCL-90, Moderate and Appropriate Control

摘要：

以某民族大学的2006级学生为被试探讨了MMCS量表的心理测量学性能。结果表明MMCS的信度与国外基本相同，验证性因素分析发现在分解出正向和反向陈述效应后MMCS呈现出较好的模型拟合度。对MMCS的8个分量表总分所做的因素分析发现了清晰的因素结构，与理论假设非常符合。这些结果说明中国人也存在内外控的心理结构。但不同的是中国被试中内控和外控并不是相互独立的，也不是对立的两极，而是相关的，且表现出内控强于外控的倾向。通过与症状自评量表SCL-90的相关分析发现外控是不利于心理健康的，过强的内控也不好，而既不过分外控也不过分内控的适度控制方式可能是中国文化背景下最理想的心理控制方式。

关键词: 心理控制源, MMCS量表, SCL-90, 适度控制方式