Barriers to the construction of a valued social identity: a case study of Alzheimer's disease.
This case study describes a person with mild-to-moderate stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) and examines the relationship between malignant positioning and the ability of a person with AD to gain the cooperation of healthy persons to construct a valued social identity. Findings reveal that malignant positioning limited the person with AD to the embarrassing social identity of dysfunctional patient; whereas, the absence of such positioning allowed the subject to gain the cooperation from others necessary to construct a valued social identity, as well as reduce embarrassment and experience greater sense of self-worth. Preliminary recommendations on reducing malignant positioning are provided. Further research is required to elucidate the degree to which the present findings may be generalized.
Sabat
Steven R
SR
Department of Psychology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA.
Napolitano
Lisa
L
Fath
Heather
H
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000628:therapy*; D003144:Communication Barriers; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D011593:Psychology, Social / Q000379:methods*; D012649:Self Concept; D012933:Social Identification