The Belief in Personal Control Scale: A Measure of God-Mediated and Exaggerated Control

Abstract

Combining and extending previous conceptions of the construct of perceived control, a self-report measure based on a proposed multidimensional model was developed and validated. The Belief in Personal Control Scale (BPCS), measures of locus of control, depression, mania, anxiety, self-esteem, and social desirability were administered to several samples. A factor analysis revealed three interpretable components of the control construct: a general External Control factor, an Exaggerated Internal Control factor, and a God-Mediated Control factor. The results of this article provide preliminary support for the model and for the BPCS as a multidimensional measure of perceived control with reliable and valid subscales. Consistent with the proposed model of control, the three factors correlated differentially with the various measures of psychological adjustment. Of particular interest is the positive correlation between the Exaggerated Internal Control factor and a measure of mania.