Rappresentazione di malattia e senso di coerenza in soggetti cardiopatici

Research into health and well-being topics has gone on considering illness representation as one of the most effective mediator of subjective response to disease (Zani, Cicognani, 2000). Common-sense Model of Illness Representations (Leventhal et al., 1980) is one of the most widespread and appreciated in this field (Moss-Morris et al., 2002; Hagger, Orbell, 2003). Recently, some researches have pointed out the salutogenic nature of meaning considered as resilience factor against psychological distress (Reker, Chamberlain, 2000). Coherently to these approaches, the aim of this qualitative study is to explore the contents of illness representation as they come out from the discursive productions of a group of 14 individuals affected by myocardial infarction and to examine the relation between illness representation and sense of coherence (Antonovsky, 1987a, 1987b). Data analysis shows a correspondence between contents of illness representation and the components of illness representations of Leventhal¿s Self-regulatory model. Nevertheless the most interesting result is the salutogenic effect of meaning.