How would you answer the following questions? What action on the part of physicians led to greater patient happiness and, very importantly, to better medical outcomes? What changes in nursing home practices contributed to both residents and staff becoming more satisfied, resulting in a decreased use of medications for residents and less turnover of staff? What is the dominant attitude possessed by adults with learning disabilities/differences (LD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD) who display success and resilience compared with those who lack this attitude and are less successful? What factors lessen ambivalence about entering psychotherapy or the likelihood of dropping out prematurely? Different Environments and Populations but a Similar Answer These questions involve different environments and populations, but interestingly the answers to all four are rooted in a remarkably similar theme, one that is pertinent not only for how effectively each of us copes with life’s challenges but also the ways in which we can help others to do the same. The theme may be subsumed under the description of “personal control,” a concept about which I have written and lectured extensively and is highlighted in the book I co-authored with my friend and colleague Dr. Sam Goldstein, The…
