The relationship of self-esteem, locus of control, and death anxiety in college students.

Abstract

This study was conducted in an effort to determine if a relationship existed between the variables of self-esteem, locus of control, and death anxiety. Two statistical methods, "repeated measures" chi-square and unweighted means analysis of variance, were employed to examine the possible relationship, The subjects consisted of 220 university students enrolled in Introductory Psychology, The students ages ranged between 17 and 24, and were all voluntary participants, The subjects were administered the Texas Social Behavior Inventory, Form A; Templer Death Anxiety Scale, and the Reid-Ware Three Factor Locus of Control Scale. The self-esteem and death anxiety scores for the subjects were placed in either low, moderate, or high levels of these two variables, The results of the study indicated a statistically significant relationship existed between the variables of self-esteem, locus of control, and death anxiety, Low self-esteem subjects had significantly higher death anxiety and locus of control scores than high self-esteem subjects. Subjects with high death anxiety scores had significantly higher locus of control scores than did low death anxiety subjects. In summary, a subject having low self-esteem and high death anxiety tended to have high locus of control scores. High locus of control scores indicates external orientation in locus of control.