Psychological reactions to the onset of chronic illness

doi:10.1016/0277-9536(82)90209-X

Social Science & Medicine

Volume 16, Issue 8, 1982, Pages 899-905

https://doi.org/10.1016/0277-9536(82)90209-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Patients (N = 126) interviewed during hospitalization at the onset of chronic illness were found to be experiencing considerable emotional arousal. Their psychological reactions were assessed by applying content analysis scales to accounts of their current experiences and comparing these with the accounts of non-patients. Multivariate analysis of variance indicated that patients experienced significantly more anxiety, depression, and directly and indirectly expressed anger, as well as positive feelings and that they perceived themselves to be more helpless. Canonical analyses were applied to investigate the relationships between patients' reactions and their biographic and illness-related characteristics. Patients' reactions were related to demographic factors and their perceptions of their handicaps. No relationships were found between patterns of reaction and patients' life styles, medical records of their illnesses or the types of their disabilities.

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Psychological reactions to the onset of chronic illness

Abstract

J. Chron. Dis.

Soc. Sci. Med.

J. Hlth soc. Behav.

J. Hlth soc. Behav.

Psychosom. Med.

Coping behaviour under extreme stress

Archs gen. Psychiat.

Psychological hazards of convalescence following myocardial infarction

J. Am. med. Ass.

Principles of Preventive Psychology

Hospitalized cardiac patients: Some psychological aspects

New York State J. Med.

Hospital stress and patient reports of pain and physical status

J. Hum. Stress

Ego strength and psychosocial adaptation to cancer

Psychosom. Med.

Coping behaviour in life threatening circumstances

Psychother. Psychosom.

Anxiety after a heart attack

Br. Heart J.

Psychological problems of cardiac rehabilitation

Medical and psychological aspects of coronary heart disease

Prediction of anxiety and depression patterns among coronary patients using a Markov process analysis

Behav. Sci.

Infarct as a stress agent

J. Hum. Stress

Infarct as a stress agent

J. Hum. Stress

Psychological factors in the outcome of human cancer

J. Psychosom. Res.

Psychological coping mechanisms and survival time in metastic breast cancer

J. Am. med. Ass.

Psychological differences among groups of critically ill hospitalized patients, noncritically ill patients and well controls

J. consult. clin. Psychol.

Hospital patient behaviour: Reactance helplessness or control

J. soc. Issues

Attribution, control and decision-making: Social psychology and health

Rehabilitation success: The interrelationships of multiple criteria

J. Hlth soc. Behav.

Active coping processes, coping dispositions and recovery from surgery

Psychosom. Med.

Psychiatry and physical illness: The psychosomatic interface