Development of an internal locus of control scale for at-risk adolescents

Authors

  • Annisa Dianesti Dewi Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Jambi
  • Nadia Puti Dianesti Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada
  • Dian Erhan Saputra Center of Competency Assessment, Universitas Islam Negeri Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar
  • Andre Dinas Psikologi Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22437/proca.v1i2.50326

Keywords:

Locus of control; at-risk adolescents; scale development; validity; reliability

Abstract

Background: Locus of control is a key psychological construct that plays an important role in adolescents' self-regulation and resilience, especially among at-risk groups who experience vulnerabilities in family, social, and academic domains. However, valid and reliable instruments to measure this construct remain limited in the Indonesian context. Objective: This study aims to develop and validate an Internal Locus of control Scale specifically designed for at-risk adolescents. Methods: A quantitative research design was employed with 260 participants identified as at-risk based on school counselor and parental recommendations. The initial pool of 29 items was subjected to content validity testing by seven raters, resulting in 14 items meeting the Aiken's V ≥ 0.75 criterion. Subsequent Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) supported the removal of two items with weak factor loadings, yielding a final 12-item unidimensional model. The scale demonstrated significant item-total correlations ranging from r = 0.447 to r = 0.639 (p < 0.001). CFA results indicated a good model fit (CFI = 0.959; TLI = 0.942; RMSEA = 0.0466, 90% CI [0.0242–0.0664]). Reliability analysis showed Cronbach's Alpha of 0.805, reflecting high internal consistency. Results: These findings confirm that the Internal Locus of control Scale is psychometrically sound and suitable for assessing internal locus of control among at-risk adolescents. Conclusion: The scale can be used by researchers, psychologists, and counselors to support interventions aimed at strengthening adolescents' self-regulation and adaptive coping in challenging environments.

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Author Biographies

Annisa Dianesti Dewi, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Jambi

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universitas Jambi

Nadia Puti Dianesti, Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Gadjah Mada

Dian Erhan Saputra, Center of Competency Assessment, Universitas Islam Negeri Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar

Center of Competency Assessment, Universitas Islam Negeri Mahmud Yunus Batusangkar

Andre, Dinas Psikologi Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara

Dinas Psikologi Tentara Nasional Indonesia Angkatan Udara

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Published

30-11-2025

How to Cite

Dewi, A. D., Dianesti, N. P., Saputra, D. E., & Andre. (2025). Development of an internal locus of control scale for at-risk adolescents. Proceedings Academic Universitas Jambi, 1(2), 659–678. https://doi.org/10.22437/proca.v1i2.50326

Issue

Section

RESEARCH DISSEMINATION