Correlates of Birth Control Practices in India

Abstract

Scores on Rotter's I-E scale, attitudes regarding contraception, and other personal and familial data were obtained from vasectomized and nonvasectomized factory workers in urban North India. It was found that those in favor of contraception were more internal than those against. I-E scores did not differentiate between the vasectomized and nonvasectomized, but the vasectomized, as compared to the nonvasectomized, had more living children and more male than female children. There was some suggestion as well that those who had alone made the decision to be vasectomized were more likely to perceive the outcome as negative than were those who had made a joint decision with their wives. Finally, it was noted that a greater proportion of Sikhs than Hindus supported contraception.