Assessing illness representations of chronic illness: explorations of their disease-specific nature.
Elaborating on the five-dimensional structure of illness representation, as described in the self-regulation model of Leventhal (1980), the present study is aimed at identifying the relevance of this generic structure for two chronic illnesses: chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and Addison's disease (AD). Factor analyses showed the importance of the five dimensions identity, time-line, control/cure, cause, and consequences to differ according to the type of disease. That is, the items representing the five dimensions merged together for CFS patients and AD patients in a different manner and thereby produced different factor solutions for the two patient groups. In CFS patients, a four-factor solution was identified with manageability, seriousness, personal responsibility, and external cause as the factors. In AD patients a four-factor solution was also identified but with seriousness, cause, chronicity, and controllability as the factors. The value of these findings for our understanding of the disease-specific nature of illness representation is discussed.
Heijmans
M
M
Department of Health Psychology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
de Ridder
D
D
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000224:Addison Disease / Q000523:psychology; D000328:Adult; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D015673:Fatigue Syndrome, Chronic / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010552:Personality Assessment; D012803:Sick Role