Locus of control, personality and depression symptoms in cancer: Testing a moderated mediation model

Health Locus of Control and Medical Behavioral Interventions: Systematic Review and Recommendations

BACKGROUND

Health locus of control (HLOC) is a theory that describes how individuals perceive different forces that influence their lives. The concept of a locus of control can affect an individual's likelihood to commit to behaviors related to their health. This study explores the literature on the relationships between HLOC and medical behavioral interventions.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to better understand how HLOC constructs can potentially affect patient responses to health behavioral interventions and to propose a series of guidelines for individuals interested in designing medical behavioral interventions related to HLOC.

METHODS

We used the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) methodology and performed an analysis of 50 papers related to the topic of HLOC and medical behavioral interventions. Inclusion criteria were studies that had a behavioral intervention involving patients and contained a metric of at least 1 of the constructs related to HLOC. The initial screening and search were conducted by 2 researchers (AY and SM) separately. The results were then combined and compared.

RESULTS

Our findings explore the influence of different levels of HLOC along with the importance of both patient- and health-related context when assessing the relationships between HLOC constructs and the likelihood of health behavior change. The findings show that different constructs related to HLOC can act as reliable predictors for patient responses to medical behavioral interventions. Patients who score higher on internal HLOC measures are more likely to exhibit behaviors that are consistent with positive health outcomes. Patients who score higher on chance HLOC are more likely to exhibit behaviors that may lead to adverse health outcomes. These conclusions are supported by most of the 50 studies surveyed.

CONCLUSIONS

We propose guidelines for individuals designing medical behavioral interventions so that they can make use of these relationships linked to HLOC. The three guidelines suggested are as follows: (1) in most situations, improving internal HLOC will improve health outcomes for patients; (2) patients with high external HLOC should be further studied to determine the source of the external HLOC; and (3) patients with a high chance HLOC are less likely to follow preventative behaviors or be responsive to interventions. Limitations of the study are that the primary search and analysis were conducted by 2 principal researchers (AY and SM). Interpretation and development of the guidelines are subject to individual interpretation of results and may not be applicable to all contexts.

The Potential Mediating Effect of Symptom Burden on Demoralization Through Locus of Control and Coping Strategies in Chinese Patients With Cancer

BACKGROUND

Demoralization is a psychological syndrome that is highly prevalent in patients with cancer and detrimental to individuals' physical and mental health. To explore effective intervention, we first determined the relationships between locus of control, coping strategies, symptom burden, and demoralization.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between symptom burden, locus of control, coping strategies, and demoralization in patients with cancer.

METHODS

In this descriptive-correlational study, 273 valid patients were selected with convenience sampling method from a hospital in China. Data were collected using the Chinese version of the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory, the Chinese version of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, the Chinese version of the Medical Coping Modes Questionnaire, and the Mandarin version of the Demoralization Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS and AMOS.

RESULTS

A total of 115 patients (42.12%) experienced clinical demoralization (Mandarin version of the Demoralization Scale > 30). Symptom burden (β = 0.295, P < .001), confrontation (β = -0.117, P = .028), and resignation (β = 0.456, P < .001) had direct effects on demoralization. Symptom burden also had an indirect effect on demoralization through the mediating role of resignation (β = 0.026, P = .002). Meanwhile, locus of control can affect demoralization entirely through the indirect mediating role of coping strategies (chance locus of control via resignation [β = 0.138, P < .01], powerful locus of control via confrontation [β = -0.017, P < .05]).

CONCLUSIONS

Symptom burden affects demoralization not only directly but also indirectly. Coping strategies play an important mediating role between symptom burden, locus of control, and demoralization in patients with cancer.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

It is urgent to screen demoralization and identify patients with high symptom burden, maladaptive locus of control, or coping strategies. For the patients targeted, a more comprehensive and systematic approach to symptom management and more appropriate guidance related to adaptive coping strategies are needed.

The Role of Resilience for Migrants and Refugees' Mental Health in Times of COVID-19

Migrants and refugees need international protection, particularly during a crisis such as the current health pandemic. The aim of this research was to examine the mental health and attitudes towards COVID-19 in migrants and refugees compared to the general Spanish population. Moreover, the nature of resilience was examined as a mixed component though life experiences. For this proposal, an interview was carried out in a sample of 245 participants who volunteered to participate in the study. The sample was divided into Spanish non-migrants, Spanish migrants, non-Spanish migrants and refugees. Attitudes towards COVID-19, resilience (based on BRCS) and mental health (based on DASS-21) were measured. The results obtained can be described as follows: (i) Migrant participants indicated worse mental health than non-migrants, and within the migrant group, refugees presented worse scores; (ii) No differences were found in attitudes towards COVID-19 in any of the subgroups; (iii) A moderating effect of group was found for the relationship between resilience and mental health but not between resilience and fear of COVID-19. These results might be of great interest in making visible the vulnerability of migrants and specifically refugees, and the proposal of intervention programs based on resilience training.