Illness Identity in Adults with a Chronic Illness

• DOI: 10.1007/s10880-018-9552-0
• Publication Date: 2018-02-21T14:21:47Z
• Authors: Leen Oris; Koen Luyckx; Jessica Rassart; Liesbet Goubert; Eva Goossens; Silke Apers; Seher Arat; Joris Vandenberghe; René Westhovens; Philip Moons
• Keywords: Adult; Heart Defects, Congenital; Male; Adolescent; psychological functioning; Young Adult; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Cost of Illness; Surveys and Questionnaires; multisystem connective tissue disorders; Humans; Connective Tissue Diseases; Aged; Illness Behavior; Aged, 80 and over; Reproducibility of Results; Middle Aged; congenital heart defects; Self Concept; 3. Good health; Chronic Disease; illness identity; Female; Self Report; Factor Analysis, Statistical; Attitude to Health; chronic illness

The present study examines the concept of illness identity, the degree to which a chronic illness is integrated into one's identity, in adults with a chronic illness by validating a new self-report questionnaire, the Illness Identity Questionnaire (IIQ). Self-report questionnaires on illness identity, psychological, and physical functioning were assessed in two samples: adults with congenital heart disease (22-78 year old; n = 276) and with multisystem connective tissue disorders (systemic lupus erythematosus or systemic sclerosis; 17-81 year old; n = 241). The IIQ could differentiate four illness identity states (i.e., engulfment, rejection, acceptance, and enrichment) in both samples, based on exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. All four subscales proved to be reliable. Rejection and engulfment were related to maladaptive psychological and physical functioning, whereas acceptance and enrichment were related to adaptive psychological and physical functioning. The present findings underscore the importance of the concept of illness identity. The IIQ, a self-report questionnaire, is introduced to measure four different illness identity states in adults with a chronic illness.