Attitudes Toward Control in Uncontrollable Situations: The Multidimensional Impact of Health Locus of Control on the Well‐Being of Mothers of Children with Disabilities

In: Sociological inquiry: the quarterly journal of the International Sociology Honor Society, Band 74, Heft 1, S. 20-49

Abstract

This study examines the additive and interactive impact of four dimensions of health locus of control (internality, desire for information, powerful others, and chance) on two measures of well‐being (perceived social support and subjective caregiver burden) among 81 mothers of children with disabilities. Narrative accounts and interactive interviews with such mothers are used to interpret and contextualize the quantitative results. Findings clearly support the multidimensionality of health locus of control. Among these mothers, internality is uncorrelated with both of the dimensions of externality often treated as its polar opposite. It is also uncorrelated with desire for information—often used as its indicator. Complex individual, additive and interactive affects on the measures of well‐being were found for dimensions of health locus of control. Desire for information is negatively correlated with subjective burden. Mothers who do not want information about health feel greater burden of care. Internality and chance interact in their relationships to both aspects of well‐being. Mothers who believe that both their own actions and chance affect health outcomes report the highest levels of social support. Where internality is low, the belief in chance increases perceived social support. Conversely, where chance is low, internality increases support. For highly internal mothers, belief in chance serves to reduce perceived subjective burden. Mothers high in chance but low in internality, on the other hand, feel more burdened by their parenting task. Implications for research and policy are discussed.