Sex Status, Cognitive Style and Report of Psychiatric Symptoms

Abstract

The aim of this study was three-fold to study (a) Sex differences in the report of psychiatric symptoms. (b) Sex differences in locus of control and (c) The relationship between locus of control and report of psychiatric symptoms. The study also looked at the relationship that exists between Marital Status, Age and Education and locus of control and the report of psychiatric symptoms. Two self-administered questionnaire were given to 320Ghanaian working Adults aged between 21-56 years. Results indicated that generally females report more psychiatric symptoms than males, especially single women. A significant interaction was found between sex and locus of control on the report of psychiatric symptoms. It was also found that females tended to be more internally oriented than males. A significant relationship was found between marital status and report of psychiatric symptoms and also between Education and locus of control. On the whole findings suggest that single females are apt to express specifically psychological difficulties than any other group and that changing cultural factors have made females more internally oriented.