The common sense model of illness self-regulation: a conceptual review and proposed extended model

Abstract

The common sense model of illness self-regulation outlines the dynamic processes by which individuals perceive, interpret, and respond to health threats and illness-related information. An extended version of the model is proposed, which specifies additional constructs and processes to explain how lay perceptions of health threats impact coping responses and health-related outcomes. The extended model provides detail on: (a) the mediating process by which individuals' illness representations relate to illness outcomes through adoption of coping procedures; (b) how illness representations are activated by presentation of healththreatening stimuli; (c) behavioral and treatment beliefs as determinants of coping procedures and illness outcomes alongside illness representations; and (d) effects of moderators of relations between cognitive representations, coping procedures, and illness outcomes. The extended model sets an agenda for future research that addresses knowledge gaps regarding how individuals represent and cope with health threats, and may inform effective illnessmanagement interventions. We identify the kinds of research required to provide robust evidence for the extended model propositions. We call for research that employs incipient illness samples, utilizes designs that capture dynamic processes in the model such as crosslagged panel and intervention designs, and adopts illness-specific measures of coping procedures rather than relying on generic instruments.

Understanding the illness representations of young people with anxiety and depression: A qualitative study

“…Based on the ongoing appraisal of the effectiveness of their chosen coping strategies, individuals iteratively update their coping response and may opt to adapt or modify the coping procedure. The purpose of this dynamic process is that individuals arrive at the coping procedure that produces the greatest success in managing the health threat (Hagger & Orbell, 2021).…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about acute coronary syndrome among patients with type 2 diabetes

“…The majority of the participants had some level of obesity, and 76.7% were engaged in some form of exercise activity (Table 1). disease are formed by a patient's experiences and those of other familiar people (14) . Another reason may be related to educational level, considering that 41% of this study's participants had attended elementary school only, which may impose challenges for health education.…”

The relationship between individuals’ sources of information, perceptions, and anxiety regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey

“…"Timeline" refers to an individual's perceptions about the duration of their illness or condition. Subsequently, in studies on psychometric properties and control of treatment, dimensions were added that addressed the individual's beliefs about the effectiveness of the treatment administered, and "illness coherence", which focuses on how and to what extent an individual understands or grasps the disease and its threat to health (Hagger et al, 2017;Hagger & Orbell, 2021).…”