Skip to contentScholarGate
LibraryBookshelfDeskReview StudioAssistant
Sign in
Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale/Evidence
Method evidence record

Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale

The Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale (MHLC) is an 18-item measure developed by Wallston, Wallston, and DeVellis (1978) to assess individual differences in health-related beliefs about the locus of control—that is, to whom or what people attribute responsibility for their health. The MHLC measures three dimensions: Internal control (belief that health is determined by one's own actions and responsibility), Powerful Others control (belief that health is determined by healthcare providers, family, or powerful authority figures), and Chance control (belief that health is determined by fate, luck, or uncontrollable events). These beliefs profoundly influence health behavior engagement, treatment adherence, and response to health information. The MHLC is widely used in health behavior research, patient education evaluation, and clinical practice to understand how beliefs about health control shape behavior and to tailor communication styles.

Sources recorded, not reviewed

Source record

Citations copied verbatim from the method’s source record. No claim-level verification is inferred from them.

Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale
Taxonomic method record · process-pipeline / health-behavior
  • Wallston, B. S., Wallston, K. A., & DeVellis, R. (1978). Development of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) Scales. Health Education Monographs, 6(2), 160-170. · DOI 10.1177/109019817800600107
Open full method

Curated claims

Claims persisted in the evidence ledger, each with its own assessment.

No curated claims yet

This view does not invent a claim assessment when the ledger has none.

Related methods

Generated from the method graph and shown as machine-suggested relations — no evidence claim is inferred.

Same method familyBasic Psychological Needs Scalemachine-suggested · Relational suggestion, not evidence.Same method familyExercise Self-Efficacy Scalemachine-suggested · Relational suggestion, not evidence.Same method familyHealth Belief Model Scalemachine-suggested · Relational suggestion, not evidence.

Evidence status

Sources recorded, not reviewed

Bibliographic sources are present. Claim-level evidence review has not been performed.

Sources

1 recorded citation, copied from the method source record.

Actions

Open method page
ScholarGate

A content-first reference library for research methods — what each one is, how it works, and where it comes from.

Open data (CC-BY)

Explore

  • Library
  • Search the library…
  • Browse by field
  • Fields
  • Journey
  • Compare
  • Which method?

Reference

  • Subjects
  • Atlas
  • Glossary
  • Methodology
  • Philosophy

Your tools

  • Bookshelf
  • Desk
  • Chat

Company

  • About
  • Pricing
  • Contact
  • Suggest a method

Entries are compiled from published sources for reference. Verifying the accuracy and suitability of any information for your own use remains your responsibility.

© 2026 ScholarGate · A research-method reference library
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Terms
  • Delete account