HABIT CONTROL EXPECTANCY FOR DRINKING, SMOKING, AND EATING

Habit-specific locus of control measures for drinking, smoking, and ea ting were compared to Rotter's general measure to evaluate the relatio nship between cognitive expectancy and substance use;For both smoking and eating, individuals who reported being addicted were significantly more external on the habit-specific expectancy measures. Measures. of use, tolerance, and risk covaried more closely with the habit-specifi c scales than with the general scale. For eating behavior, the habit-s pecific scale and the compulsive eating measure were different only fo r individuals with a history of being overweight. The habit-specific e xpectancy measures were more closely related to indices of use and add iction than the general locus of control measure and should have great er utility for research and intervention. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Lt d.