The Interrelationship of Measures of Manifest Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Locus of Control, and Depression in Children with Behavior Problems

Abstract

The interrelationships among measures of manifest anxiety, self-esteem, locus of control, and depression were studied among children with behavioral and emotional problems. Six random samples were drawn from a population of children referred because of behavioral problems that interfered with their classroom learning. Each subject was individually administered two of the following four tests: the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (RCMAS); the Culture-Free Self-Esteem Inventory for Children, Form B (SEI); the Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children (CNS-IE); and the Reynolds Childhood Depression Scale (RCDS). Results indicated that, within this sample, measures of children's depression, external locus of control, and anxiety all were intercorrelated positively to a moderately high level. Measures of self-esteem were correlated significantly and negatively with depression and anxiety, but had little correlation with external locus of control.