{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,17]],"date-time":"2026-09-17T22:31:57Z","timestamp":1789684317991,"version":"4.0.1"},"reference-count":40,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1768953600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Locus of control is a psychological construct that influences how individuals perceive their ability to manage life events. Although its relationship with mental health has been widely studied, limited evidence exists among Latin-American university student populations. To assess the association between locus of control and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress among university students in Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico. A cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted using data from the Healthy Lifestyle Promotion Program at the Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n. A total of 815 students completed a digital survey assessing sociodemographic variables, DASS-21, and Burger\u2019s Locus of Control Scale. Participants had a mean age of 19.8 \u00b1 3.4, 57.1% were women. The prevalence of symptoms was 64.4% for depression, 55.8% for stress, and 74.1% for anxiety. Women exhibited higher severity across all dimensions (p &lt; 0.001). Locus of control scores decreased significantly as the severity of depression, stress, and anxiety increased, particularly in moderate to extremely severe categories. An external locus of control was consistently associated with higher frequency of severe psychological symptoms. An external locus of control was strongly associated with poorer mental health outcomes. Strengthening internal locus of control may enhance resilience, reduce psychological distress, and improve academic performance.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph23010130","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]],"date-time":"2026-01-21T08:48:08Z","timestamp":1768985288000},"page":"130","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":3,"title":["Locus of Control and Its Association with Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Among Mexican University Students: A Cross-Sectional Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Magnolia","family":"Guerrero Castillo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical-Surgical Research Group (GICQx), Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5825-9627","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Maria Fernanda","family":"Martinez Gonzalez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andrea Alejandra","family":"Escalera Jasso","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7010-5698","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luis Adrian","family":"Alvarez Lozada","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical-Surgical Research Group (GICQx), Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico"},{"name":"Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Arcelia Lizbeth","family":"Torres P\u00e9rez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5398-247X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alejandro","family":"Quiroga Garza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical-Surgical Research Group (GICQx), Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rosa Ivett","family":"Guzman Avilan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical-Surgical Research Group (GICQx), Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-2604-4129","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Diego","family":"Escamilla Maga\u00f1a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical-Surgical Research Group (GICQx), Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Rodrigo","family":"Bravo Garcia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical-Surgical Research Group (GICQx), Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Martha Lilia","family":"P\u00e9rez Sosa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-1061-6994","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yelyann Magory","family":"M\u00e1rquez Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8017-2640","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Rodrigo Enrique","family":"Elizondo Oma\u00f1a","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical-Surgical Research Group (GICQx), Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Leon, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Leon, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3271-8781","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Guillermo","family":"Jacobo Baca","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Centro Universitario de Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Monterrey 64460, Nuevo Le\u00f3n, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,21]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1037\/h0092976","article-title":"Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement","volume":"80","author":"Rotter","year":"1966","journal-title":"Psychol. 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