Locus of control and learned helplessness : an examination of Lebanon’s young adult population

Abstract

Since 2019, Lebanon has been severely hit with several social and economic challenges including the drastic decrease in the Lebanese Lira, COVID-19 pandemic, shortage of fuel and medication, and a huge decrease in the minimum wage, in addition to Beirut’s explosion on the 4th of August of 2020. Exposure to continuous challenges of adverse and uncontrollable events may reduce the sense of perceived control over one’s life and eventually may lead to helplessness. In such adversities, individuals may withdraw from any efforts to change the situation and may just live it, although distressing. The present study investigated the phenomenon of learned helplessness in Lebanon’s young adult population. The study examined the effect of locus of control on the development learned helplessness, in addition to the effect of sex on both locus of both locus of control and learned helplessness. A convenient sample of 108 Lebanese young adults aged between 21 and 31 residing in Beirut and surrounding areas completed a demographic questionnaire, Rotter’s Locus of Control Scale, and Learned Helplessness Scale. Participants with an external locus of control were more likely to develop learned helplessness than individuals with internal locus of control. In addition, external locus of control and learned helplessness levels did not differ between males and females. The outcome of the study implied that that individuals’ perception of locus of control accounted for variances in learned helplessness. Also, the finding of this study raises the need to think beyond traditional sex-roles and stereotypes and recognize that females may also be stressed out by the financial burdens of the recent adversities in Lebanon.