Locus of Control

Why is it important for a future OT practitioner to understand locus of control (LoC) and to know how to influence that in oneself and in others, including future clients?

To begin, let's discuss what LoC is. Locus of control is the extent you feel in control of the situations and experiences that influence your life. There are two types - internal and external. People with an internal LoC believe that they play a large part in shaping their future. They believe that, while external events may bring challenges, they can make an internal decision regarding how they respond to such events. Such people are positive yet realistic. They focus on what they can control in life, rather than worry about what they can’t control. People with an external LoC believe that things happen to them. They often feel that their happiness depends on external events and how the world treats them. Other people may try to help the person, but their suggestions fall on unreceptive ground. The person often finds a reason why the ideas won’t work.

Locus of control is included in the Model of Human Occupation (Keilhofner, 1992) as a component of the volition subsystem, which also consist of values, interests, and personal causation. As a holistic profession, these aspects are essential to take into consideration when planning individual interventions and creating goals. A client with a more internal locus of control may appear more motivated and concerned with treatment as he or she feels as if his or her actions will have an impact on the environment. On the other hand, clients with a more external locus of control may tend to avoid participation and won’t take responsibility for their lack of growth or improvement. One way that an OT practitioner can enhance internal locus of control is by providing interventions that are meaningful to the client. This will help motivate them, spark participation, and give them a sense of control in their recovery process. 

Another reason it is important for an OT practitioner to understand LoC and how to influence others, is that OT's often work alongside other professions when treating a client. If the OT has a more of an internal LoC and the PT, for example, has an external LoC, that my cause tension and disagreement as the OT would be more responsible, hard-working, and decisive, while the PT will be more laid back and have the "whatever happens was meant to happen" mentality. This would make the team approach difficult, which can negatively affect the outcomes of the client. One may not even realize the control pattern that they fall under. That's why it's so important to learn and understand LoC, because once you do, then you can be more understanding of others' thought processes and work towards a mutual agreement with co-workers, clients, etc.

I answered 29 LoC questions and scored/ interpreted my score using the photo above. My score was 10, which sits slightly more on the internal LoC side. This proved that I have aspects of both internal and external LoC, but as a future OT practitioner, it is important that I understand LoC and how to influence that in my future clients so that they can have the best recovery possible.

Resources:

Birchenough, J. L. (1997). Locus of control, activity level, and living situation among the elderly (Publication No. 4629) [Master's Theses, Western Michigan University]. 11-12.    https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/4629

Lancaster, S. (2021). Session 6 locus of control. [Lecture worksheet]. Blackboard.