Illness in interaction
Illness in interaction
Illness and somatic symptoms are common in childhood. These experiences are usually short-lived, but they can also develop into persistent, impairing symptoms. Children learn how to cope with symptoms through the people around them. This thesis of Elske Hogendoorn examines how social interactions, particularly within families, shape how people think, feel, and act when they experience complaints – patterns referred to as the illness approach. Using various types of data, such as multigenerational cohort data, video observations of parent–infant interactions, healthcare registries, and in-depth interviews, the research maps the development of illness approaches across different life stages.
In early childhood, parents’ own illness histories influence how they respond when their baby is in pain. In doing so, parents may convey subtle messages about how to deal with symptoms. Healthcare use in families also plays a role: children from families who frequently seek medical care are more likely to develop impairing symptoms later on. Outside the family, cultural messages in picture books may also contribute to what children learn about illness. During adolescence parent-child differences in symptom interpretation become meaningful. Parental underestimation of complaints – particularly in girls – predicts higher levels of symptoms in early adulthood. Illness-related factors in mothers also show associations with symptom burden of their teenage daughters. Adults recall interactions with parents regarding symptoms during childhood, which influence their approach to symptoms in their own children years later.
In summary, the thesis shows that illness approaches emerge through ongoing social learning processes. Understanding these patterns may help reduce impairing symptoms.