What Is The Health Locus Of Control Theory

Health is not limited to a physical illness that can be cured or alleviated but must encompass the entire individual. It includes spiritual, emotional, social, mental and physical aspects of the individual. All of these areas must be assessed and evaluated when caring or a patient and their families (Chitty, 2007, p. 303).

Naidoo and Wills(2001, p.47) “Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity’ - WHO (1946).” This definition falls into a holistic way of defining health, which believes that there are more areas to look at when thinking of health than just simply the absence of a disease. It considers the cause of why someone is ill and not just simply about ’fixing it’.

health is necessary to have when dealing with a life changing disease, most people cannot keep

Acknowledging how the patient perceives illness and health, helps in understanding the beliefs and how they relate with preventing

Leventhal’s model of self-regulation is based on the idea that each person forms a cognitive representation of their illness, which allows them to make sense of their symptoms. This illness perception and the patient’s emotional response then guide behaviour towards managing the illness (Leventhal et al., 1984). An illness perception is made up of five major components. These are illness identity, potential cause, timeline, its consequences and how it may be controlled. Often patients with similar diseases can hold very different perceptions of their illness (Petrie and Weinman, 2012). Clinical severity of the condition does not necessarily predict how a patient will cope. This essay will outline strengths and weaknesses of whether the model can be used to explain health outcomes and coping strategies, implement successful interventions and predict or even improve adherence to treatment. Finally, the importance of constructs not included in the model, such as social support, will be discussed. The essay will evaluate the model using examples of illnesses such as stroke, cancer, diabetes and asthma.

Another factor affecting peoples perception could be their locus of control, Rotter (1954) made distinctions between beliefs of people with an internal and an external locus of control: people who are said to be ‘internal’ are thought to believe that their own actions can change the outcome of situations, making these situations under personal control, however ‘externals’ are seen generally to believe that the outcome is beyond their personal control, believing that their actions are unrelated to the events. Therefore if someone has an internal locus of control they believe that they have a significant say in how their lives are run, whereas a person with an external locus of control believes that ‘fate’ has already decided upon the events of their lives. Niven (2000) suggests that people who have an internal locus of control may be more highly motivated to take action concerning their health; however they are less likely to adhere to medical advice. This may be due to the fact that internals feel that they have a choice and say in the outcomes of their health and can decide not to adhere when it is appropriate. For example in Susan’s case when she spoke about having a bilateral total knee replacement, she said that when the doctor had advised having

It can be a positive or negative effect, having and using power depending on how it is controlled by the individual. Positive effect is to facilitate treatment and negative is preventing access to services, due to pre-existing conditions such as mental health. Power and control operate on varying levels and service users may recognise that the professionals due to their knowledge and expertise have the power. Social and cultural expectations can affect balance of power in health. Peterson and Bunton stated that there was a desire to identify, control and eliminate disease’ (2000, pg 9). In conjunction with the growth of medicine and science came the medical model. This approach focuses on the individual having dysfunction and treating identified health issues. Welshman suggested it was created to respond to socially upsetting or disruptive phenomena’ (2006, pg 9). The

1. After graduating from high school I decided to move back home with my mother from growing up and living with my grandmother. The main reasons for my decision was to go to a college back home, well long story short I ended up missing what could have been two semesters of college I had missed several deadlines trying my hardest to collect the documents the college needed I had no support and I just came crashing down after missing the deadline for the first semester. I felt like a complete failure and that everything else I was going to try to help myself would result in failure, I did not believe in myself anymore I did not have the confidence that I came with I just gave up. This feeling of failure did not last very long for me after a few days, three at the most I began to say to myself this will give me time to gather all the documents they need and this will give others time to provide me with them, and from there by the time the next semester for colleges came around I was enrolled and ready to go.

This study changed psychology because it changed how psychologists viewed the importance of control in regards to a person's mental health. This study has also lead to

This essay will discuss the key aspects of the health models Fonofale and Te Whare Tapa Wha, and describe how the key principles of these models relate to the everyday health of Maori and Pasifika peoples’. The principles of these models need to be recognised by paramedics, and acknowledge the cultural diversity of patients and the holistic way that Maori and Pasifika peoples’ approach different aspects of their health and well-being.

I learned that the theme of Contrology came from Roman methodically that “A sane mind in a sound body”. So when we practicing Contrology you become balanced your body and mind are connected with each other. Which allows your mind and body to become comfortable with another, and you become one and being to live a meaningful life.

The common sense model and research involving illness perceptions have made associations between illness representation and illness outcome (e.g. psychological, functional ability and physical adjustment). Leventhal et al. (1980) proposed that illness cognitions are the starting point to which those affected by illness engage in coping responses, these reactions in turn have the ability to influence health outcomes. Baron and Kenny (1986) proposed a meditational model describing the effect illness representation have on health outcomes, in which illness representation serve as the manipulated variable and health outcomes as the dependent variable.

When definiting chronicity and to understand chronic illness’ the concepts of, Health, wellness, disease and illness need to be understood,(barkway 2013) as well as feelings of uncertainty and powerlessness, feelings which most people suffering from a chronic illness will experience. (hummel 2013). Sources of uncertainty stem from isufficient information regarding ones illness from medical professionals, as well as personal and social factors. Uncertainty can increase stress, anxiety and loss of control.

Through this study, answers were being sought to whether a personality variable (Locus of Control) and motivational factors rooted in Uses & Gratifications theory (the desire for virtual community, beautiful websites, maintaining interpersonal relations, and the desire for diversion & entertainment) predict Internet abuse at work in the form of shopping, searching for information unrelated to work, and communicating with friends.

Research has increasingly focused on the understanding of the psychological factors in influencing physical health and on identifying the biological and behavioural mechanisms underlying these effects. More specifically, Locus of Control (LoC) has been widely employed as a measure of perceived control in health (Wallston & Wallston, 1978). It has been argued that LoC is a generalised measure between internal and external locus of control and represents individual’s beliefs on the control they