Locus of Control

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 Locus of control--  a fancy term, yet a concept that is simply foundational to how humans view their own circumstances and life choices. A person's locus of control falls on a spectrum between internal and external. Those with a high internal locus of control feel utterly responsible for everything that happens in life, while those with a high external locus of control feel utterly at the will of the world forces around them. I believe that both viewpoints have a place in a balanced life. I personally was a 10 on a 23 point scale (0 being extremely internal and 23 being extremely external). For the most part, I have a deep sense of responsibility for what happens in my daily life: if I eat healthy, get adequate rest, put in ample study time for that test, I assume I will get desirable outcomes. On the other hand, some things, no matter how hard I try, simply don't turn out as I planned. In those instances, I believe it's best to have a sense of humor about life. To make the most of the situation. Most importantly-- to trust God. 

Reflecting on one's own mindset can be beneficial for any person, but locus of control is an essential concept for occupational therapy practitioners to understand. Occupational therapists must take great ownership over their work, putting in the time to learn a person's medical history, life story, interests, and goals. They must form carefully laid out treatment plans. They must create and implement creative interventions. They must use therapeutic use of self. All of these skills rely heavily on internal motivation and a more internal locus of control. Nonetheless, an occupational therapist must also become a master of "rolling with the punches," "going with the flow," or whatever phrase you choose to describe keeping forward motion, even when nothing seems to go according to the plan or the norm. They must accept that there are some external forces that can't be accounted for or controlled (external locus). More importantly, though, occupational therapists must balance the two in practice, controlling the things they can (work ethic, preparation, professionalism) but not getting bogged down by the things they can't.

It is also important for an occupational therapists to teach this critical balance to clients. Maybe the client's life was forever changed by a diagnosis, accident, or social circumstance that seemed inevitable. There is a risk for clients to demonstrate learned helplessness-- a feeling of "If I can't control what happens to me, then why try?" In these cases, we must instill an internal locus of control in our clients, teaching them that the ball is in their court when it comes to taking steps to living a better life. Effort, attitude, and healthy habits are things that the client has a great deal of control over if they choose to take on the challenge. 

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