Existential orientation and adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis.
Item
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Title
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Existential orientation and adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis.
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Identifier
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AAI9000073
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identifier
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9000073
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Creator
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Weiser-Horwitz, Sherri Robin.
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Contributor
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Adviser: Suzanne Ouellette Kobasa
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Date
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1989
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Psychology, Personality
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Abstract
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This study applied the principles of existential personality theory to the study of adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis. It was predicted that individuals who view life existentially would find transformational purpose in illness more frequently and participate in daily activities which were more meaningful to them than those without this orientation. It was also expected that an existential orientation toward illness and daily activities would result in less psychological distress than a nonexistential perspective.;Thirty women with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis were studied using both standardized questionnaires and an open-ended interview format. Significant others were also questioned regarding the patient's physical and psychological status. No relationship was found between a dispositional measure of hardiness and any of the study variables. However, the ability to find an existential meaning in illness, as revealed in open-ended interviews, was related to involvement in meaningful daily activities and both variables were associated with lower levels of depression and anxiety. There were no differences between the patients self-reports and the responses of the significant others indicating that in general, the subjects viewed themselves in the same way as others did.;Results of the interviews suggest a more complex relationship between personality and meaning of illness than was hypothesized and calls the validity of the hardiness scale into question in this sample. For some subjects it appeared an existential view of illness may impact upon personality rather than personality determining illness meaning. These findings underscore the importance of combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Overall, it appears that existential personality theory offers a useful paradigm for understanding adjustment to illness. The implications of these findings are discussed and suggestions are made for practical application of these findings. Topics for further research are presented.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
