Agoraphobia,depression, mental health locus of control,and attributional styles

The specificity of an external locus of control and the specificity of attributional biases to agoraphobic and to depressed patients were examined by comparing Multidimensional Health Locus of Control scales (MHLC) and Attributional Style Questionnaire (ASQ) scores for samples of (a) nondepressed agoraphobic patients, (b) nonanxious depressed patients, and (c) comorbid patients. Agoraphobic and comorbid patients externalized mental health locus of control to chance more than did depressed patients. Agoraphobic and comorbid patients attributed good events to more stable causes than did depressed patients. Agoraphobic and comorbid patients also scored significantly higher than depressed patients on a composite measure of internality, stability, and globality ratings regarding causes of good events. Comorbid patients attributed bad events to more global causes than did agoraphobic patients. When globality ratings for good and bad events were summed, comorbid patients scored significantly higher than the other groups.This research was supported by grants from the Haldis and Josef Andresen Legacy and from the Research Institute, Modum Bads Nervesanatorium. We are indebted to project adviser Svenn Torgersen, and to Thorleif Lund, Svein Magnussen, and Helge M. Roennestad for assistance in the preparation of this paper.