Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is an illness of unknown origin. Although its reality and nature remain in dispute, people in crucial social roles have taken positions that stigmatize or legitimize the condition. And most sufferers remain convinced that CFS is a real, physical illness. This study examined stigma and legitimation in CFS through semi-structured interviews with doctors (N = 15), insurers (N = 16), significant others (N = 23), and sufferers (N = 43). The findings confirm that CFS is stigmatized by characterizing it as a psychological disorder or a form of malingering. But they also show that the duration of the illness and associated disability are sources of stigma not previously identified with CFS. Furthermore, in the absence of biomedical findings, social judgments about sufferers' credibility became a major factor in legitimizing the illness. / By studying stigmatization and legitimation together, it became possible to identify how shifts occurred from one position to the other. By studying doctors, insurers, and significant others, it became evident that five common elements across their different social locations were influencing their views about the illness and its effect on their personal and professional lives or occupational contexts. In turn, these perspectives and effects shaped their reactions to sufferers. / Individual and social factors were found to be implicated in sufferers' illness convictions. On a personal level, persistent or recurrent severe somatic symptoms, functional deterioration, and self evaluations led sufferers to conclude they were physically sick At a social level, these beliefs were sustained by intermittent reinforcement from sympathetic doctors, support group members, and selected medical literature. Finally this study showed the personal and social costs associated with both stigmatizing and legitimizing CFS.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.34698 |
| Date | January 1997 |
| Creators | Beaulieu, Marcia. |
| Contributors | Robbins, James (advisor), Rains, Prudence (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Department of Sociology.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001615213, proquestno: NQ44359, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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