A Cross-Cultural Validation of Trice's Academic Locus of Control Scale for College Students in an Omani Sample

Abstract

This study examined the validity of the Academic Locus of Control scale in a nonwestern culture. Subjects were 491 college undergraduate students majoring in education (123 men and 368 women). Rotter's I-E scale and an achievement motivation scale were administered also. Correlation coefficients of .33 and .45 of scores on the Academic Locus of Control Scale match those on the two validating inventories. Predictive validity as measured by the correlation with GPA was only .20. Among the present sample, the Academic Locus of Control Scale was a better predictor of GPA than Rotter's I-E scale ( r = .06). Unlike the American sample, Omani women had a significantly higher mean externality score than men which reflects cultural differences. Although Omani subjects did not differ from American subjects in mean externality score, patterns of responses were different. An attempt was made to explain these differences in terms of cultural disparities.