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Relationship of illness perceptions with depression among individuals diagnosed with lupus
Errol J Philip1, Helen Lindner, Leah Lederman
1Department of Psychology, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, USA.
Background:
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of illness perceptions, as outlined in the Self-Regulatory Model of illness, with depression among individuals diagnosed with lupus.
Methods:
A mail-out questionnaire was completed by 154 members of the Australia Lupus Foundation and Lupus Foundation of New South Wales. Each questionnaire consisted of a Lupus Medical and Symptoms Questionnaire, the Illness Perceptions Questionnaire-Revised and the Cardiac Depression Scale.
Results:
Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that individuals who reported a perception of their illness as having negative life consequences, an unpredictable nature and themselves possessing little understanding of lupus, reported high levels of depression.
Conclusions:
This study indicated the existence of a high level of depressive symptoms among individuals diagnosed with lupus, and reinforces the need for screening procedures in chronic illness, and treatment interventions that target maladaptive illness perceptions.
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