Locus of Control

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Locus of control refers to how an individual perceives what happens to them. An individual can have an internal or external locus of control. If you have an internal locus of control you take responsibility for the things that happen and focus on the things you can control rather than the things you can’t. An individual who has an external locus of control often blames uncontrollable events on others or things around them. They don’t necessarily take responsibility like individuals who have an internal locus of control. Understanding individual’s locus of control allows us to communicate and understand them more effectively. 
As a future occupational therapist, it’s important to recognize our client and colleague’s locus of control in order to understand how they respond to our interactions with them. Erik Meira (2016), a physical therapist, wrote in a blog post that locus of control can even explain why some patients self-discharge after a couple visits and why some never leave. She explained that individuals with an internal locus of control will take ownership of their problem and commit to their home exercise program and place blame anywhere but themselves. These individuals are more likely to do very well in recovery process. However, clients who have an external locus of control are at times more helpless. They will constantly look for someone to help them, therefore making it more difficult to discharge. They don’t believe they can succeed without you. 
I believe it is important to encourage an internal locus of control in our daily practice as an occupational therapist in order to help our clients focus on what they can do for themselves. As occupational therapist, we take a holistic approach in treatment and take time to listen and understand our clients. I believe in doing this we will have the opportunity to recognize their locus of control and individualize our treatment session accordingly. 

Meira, E. (2016, March 21). Are your patients out of control? Retrieved from https://thesciencept.com/are-your-patients-out-of-control/

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