The primary goal of this study was to explore the relationship between rumination, locus of control, and depressive symptomology. The current project utilized a survey methodology, in which 54 undergraduate students were required to complete the Response Style Questionnaire (RSQ), the Rotter Locus of Control Scale (LOC), and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Previous literature has not examined the relationship between rumination and locus of control. It was hypothesized that ruminative thought and external locus of control would be positively correlated. Correlations were run between the scores of each questionnaire, as well as gender of the participants. Results indicated a positive correlation between the RRS and the BDI (r = .658, p < .01), supporting previous literature. The primary hypothesis was not supported and no other significant results were found. Possible explanations for this, as well as suggestions for further research are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>The primary goal of this study was to explore the relationship between rumination, locus of control, and depressive symptomology. The current project utilized a survey methodology, in which 54 undergraduate students were required to complete the Response Style Questionnaire (RSQ), the Rotter Locus of Control Scale (LOC), and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Previous literature has not examined the relationship between rumination and locus of control. It was hypothesized that ruminative thought and external locus of control would be positively correlated. Correlations were run between the scores of each questionnaire, as well as gender of the participants. Results indicated a positive correlation between the RRS and the BDI (r = .658, p < .01), supporting previous literature. The primary hypothesis was not supported and no other significant results were found. Possible explanations for this, as well as suggestions for further research are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Sterling, Michael R."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Applied Psychology","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Cahill, Janet"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2007,"date_issued":"2007-01-30T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2007-01-30T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:46Z","subjects":["Depression, Mental--Diagnosis; Locus of control","Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/847","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Cahill, Janet"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Sterling, Michael R."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-03-30T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Applied Psychology"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Depression, Mental--Diagnosis; Locus of control","Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/847"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The primary goal of this study was to explore the relationship between rumination, locus of control, and depressive symptomology. The current project utilized a survey methodology, in which 54 undergraduate students were required to complete the Response Style Questionnaire (RSQ), the Rotter Locus of Control Scale (LOC), and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Previous literature has not examined the relationship between rumination and locus of control. It was hypothesized that ruminative thought and external locus of control would be positively correlated. Correlations were run between the scores of each questionnaire, as well as gender of the participants. Results indicated a positive correlation between the RRS and the BDI (r = .658, p < .01), supporting previous literature. The primary hypothesis was not supported and no other significant results were found. Possible explanations for this, as well as suggestions for further research are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Effects of rumination on internal and external locus of control"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Cahill, Janet"],"dc:creator":["Sterling, Michael R."],"dc:date.available":["2016-03-30T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The primary goal of this study was to explore the relationship between rumination, locus of control, and depressive symptomology. The current project utilized a survey methodology, in which 54 undergraduate students were required to complete the Response Style Questionnaire (RSQ), the Rotter Locus of Control Scale (LOC), and the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Previous literature has not examined the relationship between rumination and locus of control. It was hypothesized that ruminative thought and external locus of control would be positively correlated. Correlations were run between the scores of each questionnaire, as well as gender of the participants. Results indicated a positive correlation between the RRS and the BDI (r = .658, p < .01), supporting previous literature. The primary hypothesis was not supported and no other significant results were found. Possible explanations for this, as well as suggestions for further research are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/847"],"dc:subject":["Depression, Mental--Diagnosis; Locus of control","Psychology"],"dc:title":["Effects of rumination on internal and external locus of control"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Applied Psychology"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:13:46Z"}