Adolescent Internal Environmental Locus of Control Scale (AINELOC) Measurement Tool

Abstract

This study aims to validate the Adolescent Internal Environmental Locus of Control (AINELOC) scales (green consumer, activist, advocate and recycling attitude). The AINELOC was used to identify the association between internal locus of control and pro-environmental behaviors in adolescents. The study was conducted because of the lack of data in the literature about the subject matter and developed based on the deficiency of applicability in the original Internal Environmental Locus of Control (INELOC) scale to the adolescent population. This opportunity to adjust the language to make it more accessible for adolescents resulted in the construction of the AINELOC tool to research adolescents’ reasoning and innate ability to make interpretations about beliefs and motivations regarding the environment. It was demonstrated that persons with greater levels of internal environmental locus of control have positive mindsets and beliefs that affect their well-being, behavior and attitude toward the environment. Collectively, the literature in this research explored the role of LOC as a driving factor and a strong predictor in shaping an individual’s eco-centric thoughts and behavior. The factor structure of the AINELOC was examined and data collected from a sample of adolescents to validate the internal consistency of scales for this novel construct. Correlations between the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLOC) measure with the new AINELOC tool were conducted to provide substantiation for the convergent and discriminant validity of the AINELOC.