Coping with Illness and Disability

Question 1

Name and outline the main stage theory of adjustment.

Answer 1

Kubler-Ross’ theory of adjustment  
DABDA 
Denial Anger  
Bargaining  
Depression 
Acceptance

Question 2

State some factors that show lack of evidence for these stages.

Answer 2

Doesn’t account for variability in response
Places the patients in a passive role
Fail to consider social or cultural factors
Focus on emotional responses and neglect cognitions and behaviour
Pathologise people who do not pass through these stages

Question 3

State five myths about coping with loss as described by Wortman and Silver.

Answer 3

Distress or depression is inevitable
Distress is necessary, and failure to express distress is indicative of pathology
The importance of ‘working through’ loss
Expectations of recovery
Reaching a state of resolution

Question 4

Outline Moos’ crisis theory for coping with serious illness and applications.

Answer 4

First stage: 
 Illness – related factors 
 Background and personal factors 
 Physical and social environmental factors 
Coping process: 
 Coping appraisal 
 Adaptive tasks  
 Coping skills  This all leads to outcome of the crisis

Question 5

What are the applications of this model?

Answer 5

It allows prediction of how the patient is likely to react to coping with a chronic illness based on their illness-related factors, background and personal factors, and physical and social environmental factors

Question 6

What are the 5 dimensions of Leventhal’s illness representations model?

Answer 6

Identity – labelling of the illness/symptoms
Cause
Consequences
Timeline – client’s view on how long the problem will last
Curability/Controlability – client’s expectations

Question 7

Describe the WHO classification of functioning.

Answer 7

Body functions– physiological functions of body systems
Body structures– anatomical parts of the body
Impairments– problem in body function or structure
Activity– the execution of a task or action by an individual
Participation– involvement in a life situation
Environmental factors– make up the physical, social and attitudinal environment in which people live and conduct their lives