The persecutory character of irritable bowel syndrome: A grounded theory study of the lived experience of IBS sufferers
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- Title
- The persecutory character of irritable bowel syndrome: A grounded theory study of the lived experience of IBS sufferers
- Creator
- Manuel Toren
- Date
- 2016
- Abstract
- This study aims to produce rich, detailed data on the lived experience of people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). To this end a qualitative, grounded theory (GT) approach was adopted, using semi-structured interviews with 12 participants (9 female, 3 male). A constructivist GT analysis was used, following the method of Charmaz. Its results indicate that shame is the predominant emotion experienced by IBS sufferers in relation to their symptoms; this has a deleterious effect on their overall quality of life, and serious implications for their engagement with medical treatment. A model of circular, reciprocally reinforcing transactions between IBS sufferers felt sense of shame, and their experience of dismissive attitudes, stigma and taboo is proposed, in which these transactions both exacerbate and perpetuate the negative impact of IBS symptoms. IBS sufferers were found to engage in a long, difficult and lonely struggle for relief from their symptoms, which involved varying degrees of engagement with, and withdrawal from, medical professionals. Positive encounters with medical professionals led to better self-management of the illness; negative encounters exacerbated sufferers existing tendency to shame-based self-management strategies characterised by withdrawal and isolation strategies which exacerbate rather than relieve symptoms. IBS sufferers were found to personify their illness and it is proposed that this is a form of psychological defence mechanism to which sufferers unconsciously resort in an attempt to gain control over their illness.
- Subject
- Psychotherapy and Counselling
- Extent
- 155 pages : illustrations
- Format
- Publisher
- Regent's University London
- degree
- MA in Counselling and Psychotherapy
- Language
- English
- Date Issued
- 2016
- Type
- Thesis & Dissertation
- Rights Holder
- Regent's University London & Manuel Toren
- Item sets
- Theses or Dissertation