Emanuel Schatner, B.A., Graduate Student

The Inner World of Chronic Illness: Exploring the Associations between

Illness Intrusiveness and Object Relations

The link between the illness experience and possible psychological damage has been largely overlooked. A key factor in this context is illness intrusiveness, the degree to which illness is experienced as intruding upon daily activities. To address this gap in the literature, sixty women with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) will complete the Illness Intrusiveness Ratings Scale, the Object Relations Inventory and an assortment of complementary measures. Exploratory analyses will target the nature and magnitude of associations between perceived illness intrusiveness and the quality of mental representations of self and others ("object relations"). In depth open-ended interviewing and qualitative analyses of patients' account will also be employed. The proposed study purports to shed light on the impact of SLE on patients' inner lives.
 

emanuel_schattner@yahoo.com

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