Self-concept as a “BMT patient”, illness intrusiveness, and engulfment in allogeneic bone marrow transplant recipients

The experience of cancer and its treatment by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can enhance the salience of one's status as a patient in the evolution of self-concept. Illness and the patient role can come to dominate the sense of self, resulting in feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and d...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of psychosomatic research 2003-11, Vol.55 (5), p.419-425
Main Authors: Beanlands, Heather J, Lipton, Jeffrey H, McCay, Elizabeth A, Schimmer, Aaron D, Elliott, Mary E, Messner, Hans A, Devins, Gerald M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adult
Bone marrow
Bone marrow transplantation
Bone Marrow Transplantation - psychology
Cancer
Development
Disease concept
Engulfment
Female
Hematologic Neoplasms - psychology
Hematologic Neoplasms - surgery
Humans
Illness Intrusiveness
Intrusiveness
Life Change Events
Life Style
Lifestyle
Male
Middle Aged
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Quality of Life
Self Concept
Selfconcept
Sick Role
Stress, Psychological
Transplants
Treatment
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Summary:The experience of cancer and its treatment by bone marrow transplantation (BMT) can enhance the salience of one's status as a patient in the evolution of self-concept. Illness and the patient role can come to dominate the sense of self, resulting in feelings of hopelessness, helplessness, and distress (“engulfment”). Illness-induced lifestyle disruptions (“illness intrusiveness”) introduce adaptive demands, challenging preexisting conceptions of self. Illness intrusiveness and engulfment may interact, leading affected individuals to construe themselves as highly similar to a prototypical “BMT patient”. Ninety allogeneic BMT outpatients completed the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale, Modified Engulfment Scale, and a semantic differential measure of self-concept as a BMT patient in an interview context. Illness intrusiveness correlated significantly with engulfment ( r=.58, P
ISSN:0022-3999
1879-1360
DOI:10.1016/S0022-3999(03)00509-9