Lines of reconstruction and extension in the Parsonian sociology of illness

Gallagher, Eugene B.

doi:10.1016/0037-7856(76)90001-9

Cited by 68 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…In a chronic illness however, and in disability more generally, the alterations to self and identity are more substantial and permanent than acute illness, although this fact may neither be recognised nor acknowledged at first. The sick role in a Parsonian sense will not be completely relinquished but will become transformed (Parsons 1951a, Gallagher 1976, Gerhardt 1989, Kassebaum and Baumann 1965 and periods of being sick and living with the problems of impaired functioning will become permanent features of self and of publicly defined identity. Thus, the nature of the chronic illness and its bodily consequences have to be incorporated permanently into conceptions of self and are likely to become a basis for the imputation of identity by others.…”

Section: The Body and Illnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medical sociology, chronic illness and the body

Kelly

Field

1996

Sociology Health & Illness

276

157

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The sociological conceptualisation of chronic illness requires a sociology which indicates the physicality of the body theoretically. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate how the body might be integrated into sociological accounts ofthe experience of chronic illness in a way that acknowledges biological and social facts. Central to our argument is the connection between bodily aspects of self and identity. Self and identity are core aspects of everyday experience and of the everyday experience of illness. With the onset of illness bodily functioning alters and self-conceptions and identity may also change. The body, which in many social situations is a taken for granted aspect of the person, ceases to be taken for granted once it malfunctions. The bodily basis of chronic illness has to be attended to because it limits or interferes with other physical and social activities. The connection between biological and social facts is explored using the concepts of self and identity.

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Section: The Body and Illnessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Medical sociology, chronic illness and the body

Kelly

Field

1996

Sociology Health & Illness

276

157

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“…Related to this concem is that while the sociological literature depicts identity reconstitution as linear and nonlinear processes of change, it is the continued explicit development of nonlinear models of identity reconstniction which will further our understanding of living with disability. This is important as living with chronic illness or disability is a continuous adaptive process (Strauss and Glaser 1975;Gallagher 1976;Anderson and Bury 1988). Current conceptualisations of identity reconstruction also focus either on the self prior to the chronic illness, ie the nondisabled self, or on the disability, the disabled self.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reshaping of self: a pendular reconstruction of self and identity among adults with traumatic spinal cord injury

Yoshida

1993

Sociology Health & Illness

163

134

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This paper describes the impact of chronic illness on self and identity among 35 adults with traumatic spinal cord injury (paraplegic), living in the community. The reconstruction of self and identity post spinal cord injury is conceptualised as a pendulum. The pendulum of self represents a dynamic model of identity reconstruction. The pendulum suggests that identity reconstruction is a process that swings back and forth like a pendulum between the nondisabled and disabled aspects of self. The pendulum depicts five predominant identity views (outcomes). These are: 1) the former self; 2) the supernormal identity; 3) the disabled identity as total self; 4) the disabled identity as an aspect of the total self; and 5) the middle self. These identity views are influenced by five experiences (processes). These are: 1) loss; 2) sustainment; 3) integration; 4) continuity and 5) development of the self. It is suggested that frameworks of identity reconstruction or reconstitution which include both process and outcome components may elucidate more clearly the impact of chronic illness on self and identity. In addition, this pendulum model of identity reconstruction is an alternative approach to traditional sociological conceptions of identity reconstruction.

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“…Aussi, les pertes de fonctionnalités physiques ou sociales sont média-tisées par les capacités et les ressources personnelles disponibles. Si le régime de traitement professionnel, souvent inexistant de toute façon pour les maux chroniques physiques ou sociaux, peut être contraignant, le malade chronique ou la personne isolée ne se voit pas désigner un rôle social unique défini en fonction des actions thérapeutiques ou de réhabilitation qui leur sont prescrites (Gallagher, 1976). La recherche de solutions à la perte de fonctionnalités physiques et sociales ne repose donc pas sur des prescriptions professionnelles encadrées par une connaissance ou un art clinique plus ou moins cristallisé.…”

Section: La Planification Gouvernementale Et Les Besoins Des Malades unclassified

Les demandes, les besoins et la planification des services aux personnes âgées

Béland

1985

Service social

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Lines of reconstruction and extension in the Parsonian sociology of illness

Cited by 68 publications

References 8 publications

Medical sociology, chronic illness and the body

Medical sociology, chronic illness and the body

Reshaping of self: a pendular reconstruction of self and identity among adults with traumatic spinal cord injury

Les demandes, les besoins et la planification des services aux personnes âgées

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