Illness cognition assessment

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511543579.059

Illness cognition assessment

from Psychology, health and illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2014

Ad Kaptein and

Edited by

John Weinman and

Ad Kaptein: Affiliation:
Leiden University Medical Center
Elizabeth Broadbent: Affiliation:
The University of Auckland
Susan Ayers: Affiliation:
University of Sussex
Andrew Baum: Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Chris McManus: Affiliation:
St Mary's Hospital Medical School
Stanton Newman: Affiliation:
University College and Middlesex School of Medicine
Kenneth Wallston: Affiliation:
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
John Weinman: Affiliation:
United Medical and Dental Schools of Guy's and St Thomas's
Robert West: Affiliation:
St George's Hospital Medical School, University of London

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Summary

Introduction

Illness cognitions refer to ‘individuals’ common-sense definition of health threats' (Leventhal et al., 1998, p. 719), and ‘the patient's perception and understanding of the disease and treatment’ (Leventhal et al., 1986, p. 176). Concepts used as synonyms are illness beliefs, illness perceptions, illness representations, illness schemata and lay beliefs about illness (Scharloo & Kaptein, 1997). An elaborate and formal definition is proposed by Lacroix (1991): ‘a distinct, meaningfully integrated cognitive structure that encompasses (1) a belief in the relatedness of a variety of physiological and psychological functions, which may or may not be objectively accurate; (2) a cluster of sensations, symptoms, emotions and physical limitations in keeping with that belief; (3) a naïve theory about the mechanisms that underlie the relatedness of the elements identified in (2); and (4) implicit or explicit prescriptions for corrective action’ (p. 197).

Social cognitive models propose that individuals develop their own mental representation of health threats and these cognitions guide coping responses and set the criteria for appraisal of outcomes. Individuals' responses to stimuli, such as physical symptoms and signs, are partly determined by individuals' cognitions (or ideas, thoughts, views) about those stimuli. Social cognition models aim to shed light on these cognitions in order to describe, understand and change responses of individuals to these stimuli (Conner & Norman, 1996). The concept of ‘lay illness models’ is related to the illness cognition concept (Schober & Lacroix, 1991) (see ‘Lay beliefs of health and illness’).

Type: Chapter
Information: Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine , pp. 268 - 273

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511543579.059 [Opens in a new window]

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Print publication year: 2007

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Illness cognition assessment

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