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Hierarchy of classes of personal illness

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

G. A. Foulds  and
A. Bedford
G. A. Foulds
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Unit for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry, University Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
A. Bedford
Affiliation:
Medical Research Council Unit for Epidemiological Studies in Psychiatry, University Department of Psychiatry, Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Edinburgh
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Synopsis

A hierarchy of classes of personal illness model is proposed and was assessed using a new self-report measure, the Delusions-Symptoms-States Inventory (DSSI). Of 480 psychiatric patients 93.3% had symptom patterns conforming to the model. It was additionally found that single syndrome patterns, within a particular class, occurred significantly more often in those not classifiable in any higher class. Finally, the relationship between each possible pair of the 12 syndromes was examined. Some of the implications of the model and the data are discussed in terms of the development, remission, assessment, and treatment of personal illness.

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , May 1975 , pp. 181 - 192
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1975

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