Purpose of the studyto explore the relationship between the three variables of college students' control source, depression and coping style and to examine the mediating function of coping style between the other two factors;

Research methodto investigate 396 on-campus college students by adopting Rotter's internal-external locus of control scale (IE), self-rating depression scale (SDS), simplified coping style questionnaire (SCSQ);

Findings of the studya significant negative correlation between internal control and depression and an insignificant corelation between external control and depression; a significant negative correlation between positive coping style and depression and a significant positive correlation between negative coping style and depression; a significant positive correlation between positive coping style and internal control and an insignificant correlation between positive coping style and external control; a significant positive correlation between negative coping style and external control and an insignificant correlation between negative coping style and the internal control; Coping style and locus of control can be combined to predict depression;

ConclusionCoping style plays the part of the intermediary role between the locus of control and depression.