Scale Overview
The Mental Health Locus of Control Scale – MHLC was developed by George J. Hill and Robert M. Bale (1980). It is designed to measure Mental Health Locus of Control. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 22 items organized into 2 factors/subscales: Internal Locus of Control, External Locus of Control.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Internal Locus of Control |
3,6,11,12,14,16,17,20 |
8 |
| External Locus of Control |
1,2,4,5,7,8,9,10,13,15,18,19,21,22 |
14 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Moderately Disagree, 3 = Slightly Disagree, 4 = Slightly Agree, 5 = Moderately Agree, 6 = Strongly Agree.
The scale includes 14 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 22 to 132. Interpretation guidelines:
- Strong External Locus of Control: 22 – 65
- Moderate/Mixed Locus of Control: 66 – 98
- Strong Internal Locus of Control: 99 – 132
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Alpha coefficients range from 0.70 to 0.84.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 8 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.