Locus of Control

Locus of control is a concept that was developed by Julian Rotter in 1954, and has since become an aspect of personality studies. He defined this concept as "the degree to which people believe that they, as opposed to external forces, have control over the outcome of events in their lives" and are described as being internal or external. After completing the Rotter's Locus of Control Scale with a score of 7, I can say that I err on the side of internal locus of control. I believe that in order for me to be successful, I must put in the time and effort to receive the results that I am aiming for looking to achieve. 

As a future occupational therapist, this is an important characteristic for not only myself to possess, but also my future clients when it comes to injury, illness, and recovery. To some extent, we have some control over our injuries and illnesses; however, there are many that we do not have control over. It is important that our clients be confident in themselves and their abilities and be internally motivated during their recovery phase. After experiencing an injury or illness though, they cannot just expect to get better, they have to want to be better. I cannot do it for them. I most certainly can encourage, motivate, and promote participation, but I cannot force them to be better. 

Wikipedia. (2020). Locus of Control. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locus_of_control