Locus of Control

     I think it's important for us as future OT practitioners to understand what locus of control is and how it can affect us as well as our clients. As I was answering the questions on the LOC worksheet, I realized that I can be very optimistic on some level, yet also pessimistic about other specific situations. I fell in the middle on the Rotter's Locus of Control scale, but almost more towards the external side. This really made me think and put my perspectives on life into question. I came to find that I was answering more "externally" or "pessimistic" when the question referred to politics in some way. I think the past few years have driven me to lose hope in people especially in politics. Therefore, those questions may have thrown me off a tad. Nonetheless, I would like to think I am enthusiastic and optimistic in most situations. 

    While not everyone is the same with how our minds work and think, it is important to view yourself as someone who can take responsibility and take control of their life. I believe that as future occupational therapists it is important we do our best to keep a mindset like this so that we can further better our clients and how they view themselves. In the same way that our negative attitudes can rub off of someone, so can our positive attitudes. This is why it is so important that we do our very best to keep an internal locus of control type of mindset when working with other people. In this way, we can motivate them in whatever situation they are in to know they are capable of making something of themselves and recover from any setbacks or holds in their life.