The transformation of social representations of chronic disease in a self-help group.
A Participant Action Research process was carried out with individuals affected by Inflammatory Bowel Disease, more specifically Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. The results show evidence of a transformation of social representations of disease. 'Normalization' is the central component of the transformation, indicating the achievement of a more restricted representation of the illness. This change is an attitudinal modification, which is characterized by higher tolerance of the disease--accepting its chronic nature and the limitations it imposes on daily life--, acceptance of the possibility of being supported by others in facing the disease, and the recognition of a transformational process that involves different stages in dealing with and accepting the disease.
Krause
Mariane
M
The Psychology School of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago, Chile. mkrause@puc.cl
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002648:Child; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010353:Patient Education as Topic / Q000379:methods; D011593:Psychology, Social / Q000379:methods*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012657:Self-Help Groups; D012933:Social Identification; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy