Locus of control in patients suffering from rheumatic diseases

Abstract

Objectives. The purpose of the research was to analyze a level of subjective control in 87 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 100 patients with primary fibromyalgia syndrome (FM), 29 patient with systemic scleroderma (SSD) and 27 patients with osteoarthritis (OA) using the „Level of subjective control (LSC) Questionnaire” (Bazhin E.F. et al., 1987). Results. SLE patients discover expressed tendency to externality in common area, and also in areas of failures (3,63±0,34), relations of production (3,42±0,21), interpersonal relations and specially in attitude to health (3,3l±0,32). The study of locus control in FM patients has founded the considerable decrease of indexes in sphere of common internality (2,98±0,31), internality in the field of achievements (3,08±0,34) and failures (3,42±0,30), interpersonal relations (3,54±0,25) and health (2,87±0,32), that indicates on externality of the attitudes of FM patients on these scales. SSD patients discover the reliable tendency to externality in a common sphere (3,8±2,58), and also on the scales of the field of failures (3,4±2,6), in family relations (4,2±2,48), relations of production (4,4±1,14). In the field of interpersonal relations and in the field of achievements the tendency towards internality were watched (6,2±2,28 and 6,0±2,34 accordingly). OA patients discover the marked tendency to externality in common sphere (3,81±1,387), as well as in the field of failures (3,51±0,64), in family relations (4,18±0,55), relations of production (2,74±0,98) and in attitude to health (4,66±1,94). In the field of interpersonal relations and in the sphere of achievements we founded the tendency towards internality (5,14±0,71 and 5,0±l,24 accordingly). Conclusions. Thus, rheumatic diseases results in feeling of helplessness in patients. The successful treatment demands active participation of patients in process of therapy, and also change of their attitudes and life styles.