Year: 2006
Type: article
Abstract: This study addresses how people with chronic illnesses (1) measure their pursuits as indicators of their health and (2) adopt such measures as markers of who they are and are becoming. Ultimately, such markers can become part of the person's self-concept. This article notes how work generates measures, but emphasizes those that people derive from their avocational interests. Measuring pursuits includes scrutinizing involvements, accounting for illness, and setting priorities. I describe how people interpret and construct markers from their measures and how they preserve self through fitness and then conclude by discussing the implications of the analysis. 165 qualitative interviews of chronically ill persons form the data of the study and grounded theory methods provide the guidelines for analysis.
Author: Kathy Charmaz
Institution: Sonoma State University
Language: English
Subfield: Developmental and Educational Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,790
OpenAlex ID: W2015407608