The experience and communicative management of identity threats among people with Parkinson's disease: Implications for health communication theory and practice. Issue 3 (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Martin, Summer C.
• Is Part Of: Communication monographs. Volume 83:Issue 3(2016)
• Page Start: 303
• Page End: 325
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Chronic illness -- identity -- psychosocial issues -- Parkinson's disease; Communication -- Periodicals; 302.2
• DOI: 10.1080/03637751.2016.1146407
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0363-7751

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative illness that can yield a host of well-documented physical and psychosocial challenges; however, the impact of the disease on the identity of persons with PD (PWPs) is not well understood. Based on a constructivist grounded theory approach, data gathered from in-depth interviews with 47 PWPs were analyzed using constant comparison. The resulting theoretical structure related to identity and communication states that (a) PD threatens identity in several significant ways; (b) PWPs communicatively manage threats to identity; and (c) communicatively managing threats to identity is a complex, varied process. Results offer a theoretical understanding of the ways in which identity, communication, and PD are linked, and can inform interventions and care for this population.