Sex Status, Cognitive Style And Report Of Psychiatric Symptoms

a b s t r a c t

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

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 320

Ghanaian 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.