Locus of Control

    In the 1950's, Julian Rotter introduced the term "locus of control," which refers to a person's belief about who or what controls what happens in life. An internal locus of control entails that an individual plays a large part in shaping his/her future. Whereas, a person with an external locus of control believes that his/her happiness depends on external events. 

    As a future occupational therapist, I believe that it is important to have more of an internal locus of control. I believe that hard works pays off, and if you are a hard working, you will reap what you sow. I also believe that there are things out of our control, and we have to accept that, i.e., not getting to go on fieldwork because of a pandemic. However, a person with an internal locus of control understands that even though external events can bring challenges, his/her reaction to the external event can either impede or benefit his/her future. An internal locus of control also contributes to a more positive mindset. People with an external locus of control tend to dwell on the negative instead of thinking of ways to adapt to an unfortunate situation. 

    When treating clients in the future, I believe it is important to nourish an internal locus of control. In many cases, the clients will be discouraged since they are no longer as independent as they once were. We often talk about how important motivation is for a successful recovery. I feel like motivation goes hand-in-hand with an internal locus of control because if an individual believes that he/she has control over his/her rehab outcome, then he/she will be more motivated to work hard in therapy.