James A Shepperd, Jean M Hunleth, Julia Maki, Sreekala Prabhakaran, Gabrielle Pogge, Gregory D Webster, Sienna Ruiz, Erika A Waters
{"title":"Interpersonal comparison among caregivers of children with asthma.","authors":"James A Shepperd, Jean M Hunleth, Julia Maki, Sreekala Prabhakaran, Gabrielle Pogge, Gregory D Webster, Sienna Ruiz, Erika A Waters","doi":"10.1080/08870446.2022.2125514","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><b>Objective:</b> We examined the extent to which caregivers of children with asthma used <i>interpersonal comparisons</i>-a novel comparison process that parallels social comparison and temporal comparison-to form judgments about their child. <b>Methods & Measures:</b> Using semi-structured interviews adapted from the McGill Illness Narrative Interview, we examined the interpersonal comparisons that caregivers of a child with asthma (<i>n</i> = 41) made regarding their child. <b>Results:</b> Interpersonal comparisons influenced caregiver thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They helped caregivers distinguish asthma from other breathing problems, evaluate the severity of the asthma, and understand their child's experience. However, they also created uncertainty by highlighting the complex, unpredictable nature of asthma. Interpersonal comparisons were a source of gratitude and hope, but also worry and frustration. Finally, interpersonal comparisons influenced caregivers' decisions and actions, resulting in decisions that aligned with and, at times, ran counter to biomedical models of asthma care. In some instances, caregivers used interpersonal comparisons to motivate their child's behavior. <b>Conclusion:</b> The interpersonal comparisons served as a source of information for caregivers trying to understand and manage their child's asthma. Investigating these comparisons also expands how we think about other comparison theories.</p>","PeriodicalId":20718,"journal":{"name":"Psychology & Health","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":2.4000,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10030381/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Psychology & Health","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2022.2125514","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"心理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2022/9/22 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"PSYCHOLOGY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Objective: We examined the extent to which caregivers of children with asthma used interpersonal comparisons-a novel comparison process that parallels social comparison and temporal comparison-to form judgments about their child. Methods & Measures: Using semi-structured interviews adapted from the McGill Illness Narrative Interview, we examined the interpersonal comparisons that caregivers of a child with asthma (n = 41) made regarding their child. Results: Interpersonal comparisons influenced caregiver thoughts, feelings, and behavior. They helped caregivers distinguish asthma from other breathing problems, evaluate the severity of the asthma, and understand their child's experience. However, they also created uncertainty by highlighting the complex, unpredictable nature of asthma. Interpersonal comparisons were a source of gratitude and hope, but also worry and frustration. Finally, interpersonal comparisons influenced caregivers' decisions and actions, resulting in decisions that aligned with and, at times, ran counter to biomedical models of asthma care. In some instances, caregivers used interpersonal comparisons to motivate their child's behavior. Conclusion: The interpersonal comparisons served as a source of information for caregivers trying to understand and manage their child's asthma. Investigating these comparisons also expands how we think about other comparison theories.
期刊介绍:
Psychology & Health promotes the study and application of psychological approaches to health and illness. The contents include work on psychological aspects of physical illness, treatment processes and recovery; psychosocial factors in the aetiology of physical illnesses; health attitudes and behaviour, including prevention; the individual-health care system interface particularly communication and psychologically-based interventions. The journal publishes original research, and accepts not only papers describing rigorous empirical work, including meta-analyses, but also those outlining new psychological approaches and interventions in health-related fields.