Bean evaluates many programmes seeking to affect change in people’s lives. Many of these are looking to change people’s wellbeing, alongside services offering access to new opportunities, skills development or reduction in negative health behaviours. And of course, wellbeing is crucial to a person’s quality of life, including physical health, mental health, education, employment, and social connections. If a programme enhances wellbeing, it will encourage long-term positive impacts on people and society rather than just short-term gains.
Any evaluation is not just about measuring something but uses that insight to understand the underlying drivers. And in this case, while tools and scales to measure wellbeing have improved substantially, an overall score doesn’t always help those delivering a programme to understand the drivers or levers of change. Additionally, on a practical level, where costs are tight or is it not possible to measure participants’ attitudes over the long-term, organisations often simply need a key measure to embed in their regular evaluation of participants, which links to where academic research demonstrates increased likelihood of long-term change.
In response to this I’d like to offer up ‘Locus of control’. That is, the extent to which people believe they can influence events in their lives.
In programmes that aim to reduce barriers to work and enhance overall health and employment outcomes, we have found locus of control serves as a vital indicator of somebody’s journey on a programme, and their likelihood of a successful long-term outcome.
Locus of control is a psychological concept that refers to a person’s perception of who is responsible for the events in their life. It is about whether individuals believe that they have the power to influence outcomes through their own actions (an internal locus of control) or whether they think that external forces such as fate, chance or the actions of others determine their life’s course (an external locus of control). Rotter (1966) established that a person’s locus of control significantly influences their motivation, coping strategies, and overall wellbeing.
Those with an internal locus of control are more inclined to invest in their own development, set personal goals, and exhibit higher self-efficacy, which often translates into better employment and life outcomes. This internal drive can be a key catalyst for change, empowering individuals to overcome obstacles and achieve sustainable progress. Conversely, those with an external locus of control tend to attribute their successes or failures to external circumstances, which can limit their sense of agency and responsibility.
Moreover, locus of control forms an integral part of core self-evaluations—a concept that also includes self-esteem, self-efficacy, and neuroticism. Judge, Locke and Durham (1997) were among the first to explore this relationship, and subsequent studies by Judge et al. (2002) have argued that these dimensions may share a common core that is predictive of various work outcomes, including job satisfaction and performance.
Evidence from educational and intergenerational studies further underscores the significance of locus of control. For example, Coleman and DeLeire (2003), found that locus of control was more strongly correlated with achievement than any other factor related to a student’s background or schooling. This insight suggests that cultivating an internal locus of control can have profound effects not only on individual development but also on broader societal outcomes.
The practical implications for employability and community programmes seeking to foster long term outcomes are clear. By incorporating assessments of locus of control into evaluations, we can gain valuable insights into how effectively interventions empower participants and as a result refine programmes to ensure they are not merely providing short-term solutions, but are fostering long-term resilience and self-reliance.
Locus of control is not just a theoretical construct but a powerful tool for evaluating and enhancing community interventions. Its measurement can illuminate the extent to which programmes are helping individuals develop a greater sense of personal responsibility and agency, ultimately leading to improved employment outcomes and overall wellbeing. It’s a key driver of wider outcomes and of sustained behaviour change.
After all, that’s exactly what we want to see from programmes that support people who need support on their employability journey. So, where circumstances, budgets or it is deemed counterproductive to contact someone over a sustained period of time, locus of control may be one to consider.
REFERENCES:
Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalised expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs*, 80(1), 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0092976
Judge, T. A., Locke, E. A., & Durham, C. C. (1997). The dispositional causes of job satisfaction: A core evaluations approach. Research in Organizational Behaviour, 19, 151–188.
Judge, T. A., et al. (2002). The dispositional causes of job satisfaction: A core evaluations approach.
Coleman, J. S. (1971). The Coleman Report
Lekfuangfu, W. N., Powdthavee, N., Warrinnier, N., & Cornaglia, F. (2018). Locus of control and its intergenerational implications for early childhood skill formation. *The Economic Journal, 128*(608), 298–329. https://doi.org/10.1111/ecoj.12414
