Sense of competence in the spinal cord injured

The present study is concerned with the relationship between physical disability and sense of competence. It is assumed that locus of control is an adequate measure of sense of competence. On this basis several specific questions were asked: 1) Is degree of physical disability systematically related to sense of competence? 2) Are locus of control scores of disabled persons different from those of normals, i.e., does disability, per se, affect sense of competence? 3) Is there a relationship between the impact of the disability, in terms of problem areas in the life of the disabled individual, and sense of competence? 4) Are any demographic characteristics of spinal cord injured persons related to their sense of competence? Forty-five male subjects who had sustained spinal cord injury resulting in partial or complete paralysis of lower or upper and lower limbs were tested to investigate these questions. The instruments employed in this investigation were: (1) Internal versus External Locus of Control Scale, (2) Handicap Problems Inventory, and (3) Activities of Daily Living Scale. It was found that: 1) Physical disability does not seem to affect sense of competence as measured by the Internal vs. External Locus of Control Scale. 2) There is no relationship between degree of disability and sense of competence as measured by the Internal vs. External Locus of Control Scale. 3) There is no relationship between the reported problems created by the disability as determined by the Handicap Problems Inventory and sense of competence as measured by the Internal vs. External Locus of Control Scale. 4) Race is the only demographic variable which significantly aided in the predicting of one's sense of competence. Negroes demonstrated a more external locus of control than did whites. 5) Employment or unemployment has no effect on sense of competence as measured by the Internal vs. External Locus of Control Scale. It is concluded that the relationship between sense of competence, actual physical competence, and the reported problems created by disability is not a simple one. The problem remains of examining other approaches to the investigation of sense of competence.