Prediction of Psycho-Social Adjustment to Illness Based on Health Locus of Control with the Mediation of Perceived Social Support in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Health locus of control and perceived social support are among the effective factors on psycho-social adjustment to illness. The aim of this study is prediction of psycho-social adjustment to illness based on health locus of control with the mediation of perceived social support in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

The research method was descriptive correlation type. The statistical population of this research was made up of women suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome who were referred to clinics in the West of Tehran city in the Spring of 2023. Among them, 208 people by sampling were selected purposefully. Research instruments include Demographic Questionnaire, "Psychosocial Adjustment to Illness Scale”, "Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale" and "Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support". The validity of the instruments was measured using content validity using a qualitative method and reliability using the internal consistency method by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS.24 and AMOS.24.

Health locus of control was able to predict psychosocial adjustment to illness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (β=0.549, P=0.010). Perceived social support was able to predict psychosocial adjustment to illness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (β=0.183, P=0.010). Health locus of control was able to predict psychosocial adjustment to illness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome with the mediation of perceived social support (β=0.055, P=0.010).

The results of the present study showed that the locus of health control predicts psychosocial adjustment to illness in women with polycystic ovary syndrome through the mediation of perceived social support. Health counselors and psychologists should provide social support and improve the health locus of control of women with polycystic ovary syndrome to make them psychosocial adjustment to illness.