Recently, researchers have begun to examine the impact of attachment on coping with a medical illness. It is hypothesised that a patient's responses to unusual or distressing physical symptoms and participation in the patient-clinician relationship can be understood by examining the nature of their attachments. Theoretical links between attachment style and affect regulation suggest that internal working models developed in childhood may have implications, not only for the quality of close relationships, such as romantic love, but also for other significant interactions. In the domain of physical illness, patient-clinician interactions represent such a significant relationship. It is proposed that the attachment behaviour of the patient to the clinician in the context of chronic medical illness may impact on medical illness behaviour and illness outcome. This clinical portfolio reviews the literature on attachment theory, health behaviour and the implications of the patient-clinician relationship in the context of a chronic medical illness. Four case studies of different types of chronic medical illness were examined in relation to attachment theory. The cases included: Jenny, a 10 year-old girl with polycystic kidney disease; Angela, a 13 year-old girl with recurrent urinary tract infections; Aarron, a 36 year-old man with Human Immunodeficiency Virus; and Andrew, a 49 year-old man with multiple medical illnesses. It was concluded that attachment theory is a useful conceptual framework for informing clinical formulation and explaining the patient-clinician interaction among individuals with a chronic medical illness.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/217155 |
| Date | January 2004 |
| Creators | Leas, Loraine, mikewood@deakin.edu.au |
| Publisher | Deakin University. School of Psychology |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | http://www.deakin.edu.au/disclaimer.html), Copyright Loraine Leas |
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