Title
Financial Management Competency, Financial Resources, Locus of Control, and Financial Wellness
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Date
11-2016
Keywords
psychological barriers, financial education, economic events
Abstract
Guided by a proactive coping theory, this online, cross-sectional study examined whether income, savings, debt service-to-income ratio, reluctance to think about finances, locus of control, and financial management competency were related to financial wellness. Based on data from a United States sample (N = 1,039), results of hierarchical regressions indicated that financial management competency, internal locus of control, and savings were positively associated with financial wellness, explaining 43.5% of the variance. Results suggest that, rather than resources themselves, resource allocation and perceived usefulness of financial actions are most critical to financial wellness. Educators and practitioners can emphasize proactive coping through behavioral approaches to financial management that foster greater internal locus of control and financial wellness.
