B4646 - Association between Locus of control and disordered eating - 24/06/2024
Locus of control is described as the way an individual perceives the outcome of events in their life as caused by their own actions (internal) or caused by outside factors uncontrolled by them (external). Research has linked locus of control, particularly external locus of control, with psychopathology, such as depressive symptoms, social anxiety symptoms, and psychotic-like experiences.
There is some evidence indicating that it may also be a risk factor for eating disorders. However, this research is mostly cross-sectional so it can't be ruled out that external locus of control is a consequence of eating disorders. To date, there is a lack of longitudinal research on this association, which limits our understanding of whether there is a causal association.
The present study aims to bridge this gap in the literature by investigating the association between external locus of control in childhood at age 8 and eating disorder symptoms in adolescence at age 16.