TTLA: The impact of locus of control on students' perceived happiness

1. Full name of the researcher:DANG HOANG NGAN2. Gender: Female

3. Date of birth: January 14, 1989 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Decision on recognition of PhD students No. 3216/2014/QD-XHNV-SDH, dated December 31, 2014

6. Changes during the training process: change of doctoral thesis topic according to Decision No. 1017/QD-XHNV dated March 29, 2016

7. Thesis topic: The influence of locus of control on students' happiness

8. Major: Psychology 9. Code: 62 31 04 01

10. Scientific advisor: Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Thi Minh Hang

Assoc.Prof.Dr. Nguyen Sinh Phuc

11. Summary of new results of the thesis:

Locus of control predicts psychological well-being better than it predicts life satisfaction.

Internal locus of control predicted increased well-being, most strongly for life planning, personal growth, and self-acceptance, but not significantly for sense of belonging to a group. External locus of control predicted decreased well-being, but not significantly.

Lowering the internal locus of control to a moderate level was associated with higher well-being (males, students in romantic relationships, youngest children). In addition, high external locus of control was not always associated with lower well-being. When believing that external factors strongly influence one’s life, many target groups (females, first-born children, only children, average, poor, and religious students) showed positive outcomes on many aspects of well-being.

Indirect influence models confirm: egalitarian individualism and hierarchical community increase internal locus of control, thereby increasing happiness. External locus of control causes stress, leading to decreased happiness. Internal locus of control reduces stress, making individuals happier. Coping based on internal resources increases internal locus of control, thereby increasing happiness. Beliefs in external control, luck, and fate reduce planning behavior, increase self-blame behavior, thereby making individuals less accepting of themselves.

12. Practical applicability: From the research results, the thesis has proposed a number of application measures to improve the feeling of happiness through adjusting the locus of control and related variables.

For training institutions: because internal locus of control has a great impact on students' sense of happiness towards self-actualization, therefore, the philosophy and construction of specific activities should aim at enhancing students' confidence and experience of mastery.

For students and others interested in happiness: recognizing your level of unhappiness is the first step to starting to make yourself happier. Then, naming the type of controlling belief that is blocking your happiness. Identifying, committing to, and experimenting with appropriate coping strategies that correspond to your type of controlling belief is the key to improving your happiness.

13. Further research directions:

- Take into account the East Asian cultural differences reflected in the concept itself.

- Examine the effects of locus of control on perceived happiness across different age groups.

- Research on groups of subjects with psychological disorders or at risk of psychological damage.

- Take into account situational factors that give rise to beliefs about control.

- A longitudinal study of the relationship between locus of control and perceived well-being, with the aim of examining how beliefs about control change over time and people's learning experiences.

14. Publications related to the thesis

[1]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2016), “Testing Julian Rotter's internal-external locus of control scale on student subjects”,Journal of Psychology(7), pp.69-81.

[2]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2017), “Adapting Carol Ryff's Psychological Happiness Scale to Student Subjects”,Journal of Psychology(2), pp.77-89.

[3]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2017), “The relationship between happiness and stress”,Journal of Psychology(10), pp.90-99.

[4]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2017), “The influence of locus of control on psychological well-being”,Proceedings of the 1st Southeast Asian International Conference on Psychology “Human Happiness and Sustainable Development”Volume 1, Hanoi National University Publishing House, pp.122-130.

[5]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2018). Some issues on assessing happiness in psychological research.Proceedings of the 2017 Scientific Conference for Young Scientists and Postgraduate Students: “Vietnamese Social Sciences and Humanities in the Globalization Process”. Hanoi National University Publishing House, pp.288-302.

INFORMATION ON DOCTORAL THESIS

1. Full name:DANG HOANG NGAN2. Sex: Female

3. Date of birth: 14^thJanuary 1989 4. Place of birth: Hanoi

5. Admission decision number: 3216/2014/QD-XHNV-SDH, dated on 31^stDecember 2014

6. Changes in academic process: change of thesis title shown on decision number: 1017/QD-XHNV, dated on 29^thMars 2016

7. Official thesis title: Effect of locus of control on well-being among college students

8. Major: Psychology 9. Code: 62 31 04 01

10. Supervisors: Assoc.Prof. Nguyen Thi Minh Hang

Assoc.Prof. Nguyen Sinh Phuc

11. Summary of the new findings of the thesis:

Locus of control predicts psychological well-being better than satisfaction with life.

Internal locus of control enhances feeling of happiness, especially purpose of life, self-development, self-acceptance, slightly for perceptions of belonging to a group. External locus of control reduces well-being but with a slightly significant level.

Reducing internal locus of control to average level represents a higher well-being (among men, students having a romantic relationship, youngest child in the family). In addition, high external locus of control does not always lead to ill-being. Believing that external factors are strongly influencing our lives, many groups (eg female, middle child in the family, students with average or below average academic results) express the positivity in many domains of well-being.

Moderator models show that vertical individualism, hierarchical collectivism increase internal control focus, thereby increasing well-being. External locus of control causes stress, leading to a reduced sense of well-being. Internal locus of control reduces stress, leading individuals to a better state of well-being. Internal resources based coping increase internal locus of control, thereby increasing sense of well-being. External locus of control in luck, fate reduces planning behavior, increases self-blame behavior, thus leading less individuals accepting themselves.

12. Practical applicability: Some implications based on research results are suggested:

For universities: As internal locus of control significantly affects eudaimonia well-being among students, thus, study process and college activities should emphasize students' autonomy.

For students: There are stages for being well: (1) Recognizing the domain with which one is not satisfied; (2) Identifying the locus of control style that involves; (3) Identifying, experiencing coping styles related to the locus of control style.

13. Future research directions:

- Investigate the cultural differences in concepts (well-being and locus of control)

- Examine the effect of locus of control on well-being among people of different ages.

- Examine the effect of locus of control on well-being among people suffering from psychological disorders.

- Investigate situations which define belief of control.

- Carry out a longitudinal research on the effect of locus of control on well-being, moderated by people's learning experiences.

14. Thesis-related publications:

[1]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2016), “Testing the Julian Rotter's IE scale among students”,Journal of Psychology(7), pp.69-81.

[2]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2017), “Adaptation of The Carol Ryff Scale of Psychological Well-being among students”,Journal of Psychology(2), pp.77-89.

[3]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2017), “Relationship between well-being and stress”,Journal of Psychology(10), pp.90-99.

[4]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2017), “Effect of locus of control on psychological well-being”,Proceedings of The 1st International Conference of Southeast Asian Psychology "Well-being and Sustainable Development”volume 1, Vietnam National University in Hanoi Publishing, pp.122-130.

[5]. Dang Hoang Ngan (2018). “Well-being assessment issues in psychological research”,Proceedings of The Conference for young employees and graduated students in 2017: “Vietnam social sciences and humanities in the process of globalization”. Vietnam National University in Hanoi Publishing, pp.288-302.