Based on social learning theory, the construct of health locus of control has proven valuable in predicting a wide variety of health-related behaviors. In studying this concept among Brazilians, the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale translated into Brazilian Portuguese were investigated in a sample of 280 middle-class persons. Three types of health locus of control were verified, internal, powerful others, and chance. Further refinement of subscales is needed to improve internal consistency reliabilities.
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