Mediating Role of Locus of Control in Achievement Goals and Self Handicapping Strategies Among University Students

The present study aimed at finding the mediating effect of locus of control in the relationship between achievement goals and self handicapping strategies among university students. The sample consisted of 300 university students (150 females and 150 males) from public and private educational institutes of Islamabad. The sample was selected through convenient sampling technique. Self Handicapping Scale (Jones & Rhodewalt, 1982), Multidimensional Multi-Attribution Causality Scale (Lefcourt, Baeyer, Ware, & Cox, 1979), and Academic Goal Questionnaire (Elliot & Murayama, 2008) were used to explore the study variables. Meditational analysis was done using process macro. Results revealed the partial mediating role of external locus of control in the relationship between performance achievement goals and self handicapping strategies; while, internal locus of control partially mediated the relationship between mastery achievement goals and self handicapping strategies.