Locus of Control (Internal–External) among Faculty of Education Students According to Some Variables: A Field Study on a Sample of Students from the Faculty of Education, Janzour

Abstract

The current research aimed to identify the locus of control (internal vs. external) among students at the Faculty of Education, Janzour, and to examine differences based on gender, academic specialization, and semester. The study adopted a descriptive analytical methodology, targeting the student population registered for the Fall 2022 semester. A sample of 60 students (28 males and 32 females) was selected using a simple random sampling technique across various scientific departments. Data were collected using the Locus of Control Scale (Mousa Jibril, 1996), which consists of 24 paired items, including 18 items measuring internal and external orientations, after ensuring its psychometric properties of validity and reliability. Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS). The results revealed that the mean score for internal locus of control (M = 16.83) was significantly higher than that for external locus of control (M = 9.26), indicating that internal control is the predominant orientation among the students. Furthermore, the findings showed no statistically significant differences in locus of control attributed to gender (p = 0.948), academic specialization (p = 0.815), or academic semester (p = 0.654). These results suggest that the students’ belief in their ability to control life events is consistent regardless of their demographic or academic backgrounds. The study recommends enhancing internal control through educational programs to improve academic achievement and psychological resilience.