Age, relative autonomy and change in health locus of control beliefs: a longitudinal study of members of a health-promotion facility

Abstract

Health locus of control (HLC) describes an individual's characteristic attribution of health outcomes to internal or external causes. This four-year longitudinal study examined changes in HLC beliefs among 124 members of a health-promotion facility, related to their age (22-81) and relative autonomy toward health-related goals. HLC beliefs changed with age as developmental theories of control striving would predict. Holding age aside, the pursuit of health goals with more relative autonomy significantly offset the growth of external-chance HLC beliefs. Lack of autonomy thus appears to permit development of fatalistic attributions that may affect later coping with adverse health events.