Exposure to a severe illness prototype, perceptions of severity, and coping responses

Abstract

The aim of this experimental study was to examine the relationship of exposure to a lung cancer illness prototype to perceptions of illness severity, illness recognition, and coping responses. Two hundred and ten students were presented with Scenarios of a person suffering from lung cancer-related symptoms. Participants were randomly assigned in two groups: half were asked to think of themselves as the patient, and half of “someone else they know”. After each Scenario, participants were asked to respond to a set of questions regarding the perceived severity of symptoms, potential coping actions, and illness recognition. Repeated Measures MANOVAs, moderation analyses, correlations, and chi-square tests were used to analyse the data. According to the results, gradual exposure to more severe symptoms was related to increased perceived illness severity, increased possibility of using an active coping plan (e.g., care seeking), and more accurate illness recognition. Perceived illness severity was related to more active coping. Still, most participants inaccurately recognized an acute disorder in the majority of Scenarios. Participants in the other-person-group reported greater possibility of using active coping. The findings provide support to several of the Common Sense Model suggestions regarding the role of illness prototypes. They also indicate that illness prototypes are flexible, dynamic constructs that vary according to the specific aspects of the condition.