The Impact of Chronic Illness on the Self System

Abstract

Abstract In this chapter we integrate a model of illness cognition with self and identity concepts to develop hypotheses about the interactions between the self and chronic illness. By chronic illness, we refer to conditions that typically are multiply determined, slowly developing, incurable, and degenerative, such as cardiovascular disorders, many cancers, and diabetes. We begin by describing the central features of our model of illness cognition, the common-sense model of illness representation. Our discussion of the common-sense model characterizes the content of people ‘s mental representations of acute and chronic illness and presents hypotheses and data describing how these representations are constructed. The common-sense model is also used to show how representations of illness and its treatment interact with representations of personal and social resources for combating illness threats. These include the individual ‘s evaluation of his or her own skills and knowledge and of the tangible, emotional, and other supports available from friends, family, community, and systems for health care. In sum, the common-sense model provides a framework for understanding how representations of illness threat, treatment options, and coping resources are integrated to define goals and to generate coping procedures for managing and living with chronic illness.