Objective: to explore in the scientific literature the factors that influence adherence to hemodialysis with emphasis on personality and internal control. Design and methodology: search for articles in the databases Md Consult, Ovid, Ebsco Host, Up To Date, selecting those that contained at least two of the keywords. Results and conclusions: the personality affects the adherence in two ways, the first is related to the behavior and the second with the perception that the person has of the world and how it relates to it. Internal control influences the behavior of adherence to treatment, therefore the different internal and external factors that affect the individual must be studied. Abbreviations: CRF, chronic renal failure; HD, hemodialysis.