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Patterns of 'Abnormal' Illness Behavior among Healthy Individuals
Kirsty N Prior1, Malcolm J Bond
1School of Medicine, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia.
American Journal of Health Behavior
|April 29, 2017
Summary
Abnormal illness behavior (AIB) is a psychological phenomenon applicable to healthy individuals, not just the ill. This study identified distinct
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Psychiatry
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Abnormal illness behavior (AIB) is a concept traditionally applied to patients experiencing illness.
- Extending the understanding of AIB to the general population offers new insights into psychological responses to health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To re-conceptualize abnormal illness behavior (AIB) as a general psychological phenomenon.
- To investigate the presence and characteristics of AIB among healthy community members.
Main Methods:
- A self-report questionnaire was administered to 344 participants.
- Measures included health information and validated psychological scales related to somatization, attributional style, cognitive distortion, illness likelihood, and coping.
Main Results:
- Cluster analysis revealed three distinct illness behavior profiles: 'normal,' 'atypical,' and 'maladaptive.'
- The 'maladaptive' cluster may represent a dispositional trait (trait AIB), while the 'atypical' cluster could indicate a state response (state AIB) to specific health events.
Conclusions:
- The concept of abnormal illness behavior can be broadened to encompass individual differences irrespective of current health status.
- Future research should explore the distinction between trait and state AIB, with longitudinal studies recommended to establish causal relationships.
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