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Health locus of control beliefs of healthy children, children with a chronic physical illness, and their mothers

Authors :
Ellen C. Perrin
Ellen Shapiro
Source :
The Journal of Pediatrics. 107:627-633
Publication Year :
1985
Publisher :
Elsevier BV, 1985.

Abstract

Scales to measure health locus of control beliefs have been developed for both adults and children to assess the degree to which individuals believe their health to be the result of self-actions, the actions of "powerful" adults in their environment, or random events or fate. We have investigated how these locus of control beliefs differ at different ages and in relation to different illness experiences. Health locus of control beliefs vary consistently according to age and illness experience. Beliefs in the control of their health by chance and by powerful others are stated to be significantly stronger by younger than by older children, by children with certain chronic physical illnesses than by healthy children, and by parents of children with certain chronic physical illnesses than by parents of healthy children. The developmental trend suggested here confirms previously reported data regarding locus of control beliefs in children. The differences among children with and without a chronic physical illness, and especially among their parents, suggest that learning occurs from the experiences related to illness, resulting in an increased external orientation in locus of control beliefs. Health care professionals should be aware of the tendency for young children and for children with a chronic illness and their families to rely heavily on providers, perhaps to the detriment of their learning effective skills for independent health-related decision making.

Details

ISSN :
00223476
Volume :
107
Database :
OpenAIRE
Journal :
The Journal of Pediatrics
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....838de72f52c02c83302a5c79d6b9d2d1
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3476(85)80038-x