The dynamics of illness perceptions: Testing assumptions of Leventhal's common‐sense model in a pulmonary rehabilitation setting

Abstract

In line with expectations, results showed that, at baseline, longer time since diagnosis was associated to perceptions corresponding with a chronic illness model (longer illness duration, more experienced consequences, less perceived personal controllability), after correction for clinical variables. After completion of the rehabilitation programme, patients who were more convinced that their participation had led to the achievement of desired outcomes were less concerned about the negative consequences of COPD, had stronger perceptions about the variability in symptoms (cyclical timeline) and had stronger perceptions of personal controllability Conclusions: We conclude that, in accordance with Leventhal et al.'s CSM, coping with an illness is a continuous process and the achievement of desired outcomes during treatment is likely to enable patients to adopt a more positive representation of their illness.