Which example best represents a personal factor in the ICF model?

• A. Motivation toward recovery
• B. Social support
• C. Access to transportation
• D. Pain intensity

Answer: (A)

Internal motivation toward recovery is an example of a personal factor in the ICF model. Personal factors are the individual’s internal characteristics that influence how a person functions and participates in activities, such as readiness, goals, beliefs, and motivation to change. These traits come from within the person and can affect how actively they engage in therapy, set goals, and persist through challenges, thereby shaping rehabilitation outcomes. In contrast, environmental factors are external to the individual and include things like social support and access to transportation, which can enable or hinder participation but are not part of the person’s internal makeup. Pain intensity, meanwhile, reflects a body function/impairment rather than a personal attribute.