Suicide and Self-Injury
Locus of Control Mediates the Relation between Perceived Discrimination and Suicidal Ideation
Bianca Iddiols, B.A.
Undergraduate Student
Western University
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Brianna M. Meddaoui, M.A.
Graduate Student
University of Western Ontario
London, Yukon, Canada
Erin A. Kaufman, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Psychology
University of Western Ontario
London, Ontario, Canada
Introduction. Suicide is a leading cause of death globally (WHO, 2021). Prior research shows that experiencing discrimination increases risk of suicidal ideation (SI; Goodwill et al., 2021; Kohlbrenner et al., 2016), however, the internal mechanisms underlying the discrimination-to-SI pathway are not fully understood. Locus of control (LOC) refers to an individual's perception of the causes of their life events and experiences. Internal LOC reflects an individual’s belief in their own agency to cause events, whereas external LOC reflects an individual’s attribution of causality to external forces (e.g., powerful others) or fate (e.g., chance; Brosschot et al., 1993; Levenson, 1973). Research has found weaker internal LOC (e.g., de Man et al., 1993) and stronger external LOC (Lauer et al., 2008) to be distal cognitive risk factors for suicidality. Stronger external LOC (Xiong & Johnson, 2022) and weaker internal LOC (Guagnano et al., 1986) has also been linked to perceived discrimination (PD). Although these links have been established, no one has investigated whether LOC is a mechanism that explains why persons who experience a greater frequency of PD may be especially vulnerable to SI. Method. We ran a regression analysis to investigate whether LOC mediated the relation between PD and recent SI. We hypothesized that higher external LOC (powerful others and chance) and lower internal LOC would partially account for the association between frequency of PD and recent SI frequency. A total of 290 participants (Mage = 28.68, SD = 9.45), 65% of which were female (n = 187), were enrolled in an online study conducted through Prolific. Participants reported their race as White (n = 200; 69%), Asian (n = 44; 15%), Black (n = 15; 5%), mixed race (n = 25; 9%), and Indigenous (n = 3; 1%); 3 individuals (1%) indicated ‘other.’ A total of 7% (n = 13) were Hispanic. Participants completed self-report surveys for demographic and study variables including the Multidimensional Locus of Control Scale (LOC; Levenson, 1973), the Everyday Discrimination Scale (EDS; Williams et al., 1997), and self-reported recent SI frequency. Results. Analyses revealed a significant positive direct effect between PD and SI (B = .0263, SE = .011, p < .05). Further, we found a significant negative direct effect between PD and internal LOC (B = -.226, SE = .053, p < .001) and a significant negative direct effect between internal LOC and SI (B = -.0428, SE = .012, p < .001). Finally, we observed a significant positive indirect effect of internal LOC on the association between PD and SI (IE = .0097, 95%CI [.0030, .0178]). However, the mediating effects of external LOC subscales were nonsignificant. Discussion. Results suggest that individuals who experience a higher frequency of PD are more likely to report more frequent recent SI. This relation was partially explained by having a weaker internal LOC. Understanding the relations between LOC, PD, and SI may improve identification of those vulnerable to SI by assessing the extent to which an individual endorses a weaker belief in internal LOC. Further, internal LOC may be a modifiable SI risk factor target for interventions, particularly for those who experience discrimination, and may improve individuals’ ability to adaptively cope with this stressor.