Factor structure and dimensionality of the multidimensional health locus of control scales in measuring adults with epilepsy.

External locus of control has been implicated in the development of psychosocial problems in epilepsy, and adults with epilepsy exhibit scores that are more external than those of the normative sample of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) scales. Although the MHLC scales has the potential to be quite useful in the assessment and treatment of adults with epilepsy, it has not been assessed psychometrically using data from persons with epilepsy. The present study examined the internal consistency, factor structure, and construct validity of the scales using data from a survey of 143 adults with epilepsy. Results from reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and Rasch analysis supported the hypothesized three-factor structure of the measure, which was internally reliable and factorially valid.