The ‘sick role’ in chronic illness: Some reactions

Research on physical disability in sociological social psychology: The state of the field and future directions

“…The foundation of this theory is that there is an assumption that disabled individuals are somehow “sick,” made so as a result of their perceived impairments. Being born with or developing these so‐called impairments through the life course often lead non‐disabled individuals to believe that persons with disabilities are incapable of or unlikely to successfully assume “normal” social roles (Callahan, Carroll, Revier, Gilhooly, & Dunn, ; Goffman, ; Haber & Smith, ; Levine & Kozloff, ). This in turn lessens the amount of social value physically disabled individuals are seen to have, causing a loop that reifies the validity of employing the sick label that causes a lessened social value to begin with.…”

Chronic illness and compliance

“…The sick role, as outlined by Parsons, provides a set of expectations by which the ill person is expected to abide (Callahan et al 1966). These expectations describe a range of dependent behaviours which replace customary roles (Kasl & Cobb 1966).…”

Occupational Therapy’s Role in Creating a Future Climate of Caring

“…Callahan predicts that with continuing advances in medical science and improvement of social conditions the coming years may well produce a "society of the chronically ill." (7) Gliedman estimates tha t toda y 5 to 10 percen t of the LOta I working age population describe themselves as disabled. He reports that more than half of these disabled adults who could work are jobless (8).…”

“…Condescension, authoritarianism, and professional elitism are counterproductive to such a goal. Rather, a "mutual cooperation" model of therapist-patient relationship, in which the patient and therapist enter into a partnership, and in which patients have the authority to determine their own needs, seems more congruent with the goal of occupational therapy (7).Such a mode of interaction is almost totally foreign to the medical profession. It is also much more complex than the traditional professional-authoritarian relationship thereby requiring considerable responsibility to be taken by both participants.…”