Origins of health locus of control beliefs

Abstract

A burgeoning literature is discovering the links between locus of control beliefs and a variety of different health beliefs, health behaviors, and health itself. If locus of control beliefs are important to health, it is crucial to understand where those beliefs come from. This study explored the origins of health locus of control (HLC) beliefs, using the Lau-Ware multidimensional HLC battery. A structural equations analysis showed that beliefs in Self-Control Over Health were positively related to early health habits involving self-care and medical professionals and negatively related to prior family experiences with sickness. Beliefs in Provider Control Over Health were positively related to early health habits involving medical professionals and negatively related to prior sickness experiences in one's family. Beliefs in Chance Health Outcomes were positively related to prior sickness experiences, however, supporting a view of HLC beliefs as fairly stable individual-difference measures developed relatively early in life.