Locus of Control

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    Locus of control (LoC) is a way of explaining the perception an individual takes on their reality, responsibility and overall challenges in life. LoC can be viewed as internal which would pertain to a person who believes that the things that happen to them are because they made them happen. An example of internal LoC could be when a person accomplishes a goal and accepts that their hard work is what allowed them to do so. LoC can also be viewed as external which would pertain to a person who believes things happen to them because of outside forces. An external LoC might look like someone blaming their own shortcomings or mistakes on others.

    While Locus of Control is a continuum, I tend to maintain an internal LoC. This allows me to look at life with a positive, self-directed and self-motivated outlook. LoC is important in occupational therapy because we will experience patients from both sides of the continuum. We need to be prepared to redirect or reaffirm their LoC in order to help them accept their areas of need. We can use a positive outlook and internal LoC to influence our patients into complying and understanding our relevance to their recovery. Overall, LoC can be influenced and adjusted to enhance clients' satisfaction and independence in daily living.

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