HEALTH LOCUS-OF-CONTROL BELIEFS AND IMPROVEMENT IN PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING IN A WORK-HARDENING, RETURN-TO-WORK PROGRAM

Participants in a work-hardening, return-to-work program completed the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scale and were evalua ted on five measures of physical functioning, both at intake and disch arge. Using cluster analysis, five MHLC-profile types were identified at intake, and those with a combination of high beliefs in internal co ntrol and control by powerful others were found to show greater subseq uent improvement from intake to discharge on one measure of physical f unctioning. In addition, three MHLC-change-profile types from intake t o discharge were identified, and those showing an increase in beliefs in internal control also showed greater improvement from intake to dis charge on two measures of physical functioning.