Social Support, Locus of Control and Personality Traits as Predictors of Hopelessness among Patients with Depression and Those with Anxiety

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship of social support, locus of control and personality traits among patients of depression and anxiety and to explore these variables as predictor of hopelessness. Purposive sampling was employedto gather data of 100 participants (Depression=60) and (Anxiety=40) from indoor and outdoor psychiatric wards of five teaching hospitals of Lahore. It was hypothesized that there is likely to be a relationship among social support, locus of controland personality traits. Moreover, social supports, locus of control and personality traits are likely to predict hopelessness among patients with anxiety and depression. Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS; Zimet, Dahlem & Farley, 1988), Levenson’s Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale (Levenson,1988), Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ; Eysenck & Eysenck, 1975) and The Hopelessness Depression symptom Questionnaire (HDSQ; Metalsky & Joiner ,1997) were employed to assess social support, locus of control, personality traits and hopelessness respectively. The results revealed thatthere is a negative relationshipbetween locus of control and psychoticism (personality trait) and positive correlation between psychoticism (personalitytrait) and social support from family among depression patients. Among anxiety patients, there is a positive correlation between perceived social support and neuroticism (personality trait) whereas there is negative relationship between perceived social support and extroversion (personality trait). Furthermore, regression analysis revealed that neuroticism (personality trait) was strongest predictor of hopelessness among depressive patients. While among anxiety patients, none of these variables emerged as predictorsof hopelessness.