Heterogeneity in the Interpretation of Epilepsy
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 5455566 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Gerhard Nijhof (University of Amsterdam, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1998 |
| Volume | 8 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 95-105 |
| Publication date | 1998-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Qualitative Health Research (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1049-7323 • E-ISSN: 1552-7557 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/104973239800800107 |
| OpenAlex | W2145912575 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 4 |
| References cited | 28 |
In the life stories of 20 women and men, diagnosed as having epilepsy, diversity in the interpretations of epilepsy is researched. Early research has presented a rather homogeneous picture of the individual interpretation of epilepsy. The research has been criticized for the failure to distinguish between the interpretations of the self and those of others and the probability of a discrepancy between the two. The criticism put forward here is directed at the unwarranted homogeneity in the interpretations of the self. This homogeneity, it is suggested, is the result of factors such as the use of homogenetic concepts preset by the researcher, the use of encompassing concepts, not allowing for differentiation and heterogeneity, and the presentation of homogeneity by the researcher him/herself. In the interpretations observed in this research, heterogeneity is found. In life stories from the same individual, different interpretations are observed. Next to medical interpretations of 'disease,' those of 'normality' and 'abnormality' are ascribed to epilepsy, depending on whether the informants speak for themselves or are the spokesperson for 'others. ' Furthermore, the interpretation of abnormality appears to be formulated in an ambiguous and vaguely defined language. In the life stories, epilepsy appears thus not to have a homogeneous meaning but is constructed as a heterogeneous social phenomenon
Abnormality · Cognitive psychology · Criminology · Criticism · Developmental psychology · Epilepsy · Epistemology · Homogeneous · Linguistics · Normality · Phenomenon · Psychiatry · Suspect · Child and Animal Learning Development · Computer Science · Families in Therapy and Culture · Islamic Thought and Society Studies · Mathematics · Philosophy · Psychology · Social Psychology
Unending work and care
A matter of record
Passage Through Crisis
Interpretive Biography
Stigma
The Discovery of Grounded Theory
Chronic Illness and the Quality of Life
Biographie und soziale Wirklichkeit
Krankheitsidentität und Stigmatisierung
The burden of rheumatoid arthritis
Methoden der Biographie- und Lebenslaufforschung
Naturalistic inquiry
Qualitative Analysis for Social Scientists
Intentionality
The experience of illness
Felt versus enacted stigma
The meaning of medications
Epilepsy and the quality of everyday life
Doing Life Histories
An Investigation into the Social Construction and Consequences of the Label Epilepsy
In the Closet with Illness
Illness Ambiguity and the Search for Meaning
Symptoms and Illness
Being epileptic
Parkinson's Disease as a problem of shame in public appearance
Moral tales
| Unique citing works | 4 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,14 |
| Citation span | 1998 - 2005 (8) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |