Year

2016

Season

Summer

Paper Type

Master's Thesis

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Psychology

NACO controlled Corporate Body

University of North Florida. Department of Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Lori Lange

Second Advisor

Dr. Paul Fuglestad

Department Chair

Dr. Lori Lange

College Dean

Dr. Barbara Hetrick

Abstract

In order to obtain a closer look into the psychosocial impact of chronic conditions, symptom severity, loss of resources, and demoralization were investigated through a mediation analysis. The function and implication of social support was also explored within the circumstances of chronic conditions. Lastly, symptom chronicity was probed as an influential element in the understanding of the consequences of being chronically ill. Participants were 200 men and women, with a mean age of 46 years, and the dataset came from the VOICE (Verification of Illness and Coping Experience) survey. The concepts of Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and Demoralization Syndrome were utilized to portray the underlying processes experienced by individuals with chronic condition. Analyses between symptom severity and demoralization via loss of resources as the mediator were statistically significant. Symptom chronicity did not interact with symptom severity on predicting loss of resources, but analyses showed that individuals with less symptom chronicity reported both larger loss of resources and demoralization. Social support was confirmed as a moderator, buffering the effects of symptom severity on loss of resources. Exploratory analyses with the inclusion of both symptom severity and chronicity as the predictor variable and the use of age as a moderating factor at the prediction of loss of resources was statistically significant, showing that when symptoms were more severe and chronic, younger participants experienced more losses than older participants. Additionally, when age was included as a moderator of the effect of symptom chronicity and severity on the prediction of social support, it was indicated that when symptoms were less chronic and severe, the average perception of social support was higher among younger participants, but, on the other hand, when symptoms were more chronic and severe, younger participants suffered an abysmal drop in their social support perception. In light of the aforementioned results, risk, protective, and developmental aspects are discussed, along with implications for health care providers.

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