A Review of Locus of Control to Facilitate Participation in Rehabilitation with Chronic Pain Patients

Objective(s): The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate primary studies on locus of control beliefs to discover which methods most effectively address chronic pain patients’ hopelessness and resistance to rehabilitation and increase their participation in treatment.

Data Sources: A systematic review of the literature was conducted using databases APA PsycNet, ProQuest, PubMed, National Library of Medicine, SpringerLink, Cobimet, and Google Scholar.

Study Selection: Inclusion criteria consisted of articles published in English between 1971 and 2023 that examined the correlation of locus of control beliefs of chronic pain patients. Keywords for the search included locus of control, chronic pain, and rehabilitation. A total number of 26 articles were reviewed and 11 articles were retained meeting the aforementioned criteria.

Data Extraction: independent extraction by multiple observers

Data Synthesis: Primary findings indicate that locus of control can act as a protective factor and facilitate the course of treatment for chronic pain. Evidence suggests that feeling a sense of control as well as a sense of validation from loved ones while experiencing chronic pain works against demoralization and reduces the negative impact of living with chronic pain.

Conclusions: Clinical research has suggested that perceived locus of control can predict the physical and mental outcome in rehabilitation, as greater locus of control and heightened sense of self-efficacy at the outset of treatment predicted greater physical functioning and decreased disability even one month into the intervention. Further studies may establish the efficacy of multifaceted methods to promote cooperation, empowerment, social support, and well-being among patients with different treatment concerns to optimize rehabilitation outcomes through locus of control awareness.

Author(s) Disclosures: No disclosures