Item – Theses Canada

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OCLC number
56920839
Link(s) to full text
LAC copy
LAC copy
Author
Korman, Yifaht,1968-
Title
From being an illness to being a person : identity, acceptance and control among outpatients with schizophrenia treated with atypical medications.
Degree
Ph. D. -- York University, 2003
Publisher
Ottawa : National Library of Canada = Bibliothèque nationale du Canada, [2004]
Description
3 microfiches.
Notes
Includes bibliographical references.
Abstract
Unlike other enduring illnesses (such as cancer or diabetes) which are considered to be illnesses that one 'has', schizophrenia is thought to be an illness that one 'is' or 'becomes'. Thus, it has been proposed that schizophrenia alters one's sense of self and perhaps even obliterates the self. However, although a number of descriptions of what it is like to be with schizophrenia have come from a variety of sources, the experience of the effects of schizophrenia on the sense of self remains unclear. The present study attempted to clarify further and thereby enrich our understanding of this experience. Nine outpatients with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders were interviewed twice. The interview consisted of a series of open-ended questions regarding individuals' subjective sense of self. The interviews were qualitatively analyzed according to the Grounded Theory Method (GTM), which yields, through a series of successive steps, categories understood by the researcher to represent the phenomenon under study (Rennie, et al 1988). The GTM has been applied in other studies of schizophrenia (e.g., McNally & Goldberg, 1997). The resultant core categories that emerged through the GTM systematic analysis confirmed that participants could articulate a sense of self, they were able to, with self-awareness, discuss and analyze the effects schizophrenia has had on them. Nonetheless, participants poignantly noted that schizophrenia has altered their personalities, sense of self and identity. In addition, their sense of mastery, one of the defining characteristics of the self, was also described as being damaged by the illness, as participants reported diminished control over their behaviours, thoughts and prognosis. Another main feature of a sense of self, the social/public self, was also greatly affected by the illness. Thus, the GTM analysis indicated that participants struggled to re-define their sense of identity amidst profound isolation and with little sense of control over their lives or their illness. In conclusion, the results of the study challenge historical assumptions of an obliterated self in schizophrenia. Participants could articulate and identify significant existential and psychological issues directly related to schizophrenia, which have been largely neglected by mental health professionals and have up to now been explored mainly through anecdotal accounts not research investigation. Addressing these concerns has important clinical implications for treatment, quality of life and recovery.
ISBN
061282800X
9780612828001