Religiosity and locus of control of adolescent cancer patients.

Abstract

In an effort to assess religious beliefs and locus of control in adolescent oncology patients, the Faulkner-DeJong Religiosity and Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scales were administered to 28 adolescent cancer patients treated at Roswell Park Memorial Institute. The adolescent cancer patients endorsed religiosity items at a level comparable to that of college students. Over-all, the majority of adolescent patients practiced their religion and indicated that this provided support by offering security in the face of death and by helping them understand and accept their experience. There were no significant relationships among any of the religiosity subscales or degree of use of religion as a secondary source of control and locus of control scores for adolescent cancer patients. Religiosity subscale scores and locus of control scores did not differ significantly as a function of sex, age, religion, or time since diagnosis. In contrast to established norms, locus of control scores were not significantly different for older and younger patients. Among younger adolescent cancer patients, the illness experience may have accelerated the development of internality associated with older adolescents.