A structure of self-conceptions and illness conceptions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

• In 2 independent samples of RA patients, a large pool of self-reported illness experiences were statistically examined for content and structure of common types of self-conceptions and illness conceptions related to living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Multivariate analyses revealed 7 primary factors in both samples. Three constituted a positive continuum (fighting spirit, acceptance, revaluation), and 3 a negative (deprivation of life values, protest, reserved). The 7th factor (denial) was weaker and conceptually intermediate. The obtained factors contained many items similar to those in other established psychological instruments used in research on RA, but showed stronger relations to subjective well-being (mood) than any one of these. Disease indicators correlated only weakly with RA self-conceptions (RASC) and mood. The RASC factors appear to more broadly reflect different facets of positive and negative ways of individual experience of living with RA than other published instruments. They were tentatively interpreted as RA-specific expressions of dispositions towards positive and negative affect, respectively.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Activities of Daily Living

psychology

Adaptation

Psychological

Adult

Aged

Arthritis

Rheumatoid

psychology

Defense Mechanisms

Female

Humans

Male

Middle Aged

Personality Inventory

Self Concept

Sick Role

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

art (ämneskategori)