Internal-external control and headache response to biofeedback and psychotherapy

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Health Psychology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• Locus of control is conceptualized as either a peripheral belief or a manifestation of underlying needs.
• Two competing hypotheses regarding locus of control and patient treatment outcomes were examined.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the validity of two distinct hypotheses about internal versus external locus of control.
• To investigate how locus of control influences patient engagement and benefit from psychotherapy and biofeedback.
• To determine if locus of control is a superficial belief or a deeper personality trait.

Main Methods:

• Headache patients were assessed based on their locus of control orientation (internal vs. external).
• Patient responses to psychotherapy and biofeedback interventions were compared based on their locus of control.
• Two distinct hypotheses regarding locus of control were tested through comparative analysis.

Main Results:

• Results were mixed, indicating a complex relationship between locus of control and treatment outcomes.
• Evidence tended to support the interaction hypothesis, suggesting locus of control reflects underlying needs.
• Differential responses to psychotherapy and biofeedback were observed based on locus of control orientation.

Conclusions:

• Locus of control may be better understood as a reflection of underlying needs rather than a peripheral belief.
• The findings support an interactional model where patient orientation influences treatment effectiveness.
• Further research is warranted to fully elucidate the role of locus of control in health behaviors and treatment response.