Health locus of control and basic beliefs as moderators of psychological functioning in a population of women with cancer

This study focuses on establishing patterns of interrelationships between basic beliefs, health locus of control, adherence to medical treatment, and psychological symptomatology in women diagnosed with various forms of cancer. By understanding the relationships between these factors, psychologists can design better methods of working with clients who have cancer, thereby establishing the potential of increasing treatment adherence, decreasing negative psychiatric symptoms, increasing positive coping mechanisms, and increasing the likelihood of survival. Though many studies have suggested that psychological and/or behavioral interventions can influence the progression of cancer, there are few studies that have actually addressed the mechanism through which that influence can be harnessed. This study centers on elucidating a moderating mechanism within the relationship between psychological factors and the progression of cancer by hypothesizing that the construct of health locus of control and the construct of basic beliefs are tapping into the same modifying mechanism with regard to health behaviors and health outcomes. Study results show that internal health locus of control is significantly correlated with most types of basic beliefs; however, study results also indicate a need for future research into optimizing the measurement of the utility of basic beliefs.