Locus of control, coping skills and television usage among middle school-aged children

This study examined what, if any, correlations and relationships exist between television viewing, locus of control and stress coping techniques. The population for this study were middle school-aged children. The test instrument for this study consisted of the Nowicki- Strickland locus of control scale, the Brodzinsky, et al. coping scale for children and youth, and a uses and gratifications scale based on work by Cramond and Wilde. A group administration technique, using a non-probability sample was utilized. The data yielded mixed support for the stated hypotheses of the study. A relationship was found to exist between the amount of television a child views and how he/she copes with stressful situations, while limited support was found linking locus of control with television viewing habits.