Dolphin
Senior Member (Voting Rights)
https://repositories.lib.utexas.edu.../c5af7977-1b63-4f10-9fdc-5e2887cb5e8f/content
Abstract
Disenfranchising Talk and Communication Work of People with Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions
Karly Quaack, Ph.D.
The University of Texas at Austin, 2024
Supervisor: Erin Donovan
This dissertation explores important unanswered questions regarding interpersonal communication among individuals coping with chronic overlapping pain conditions. Specifically, in this study I examine how individuals with one or more chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), such as fibromyalgia, experience negative talk from healthcare providers, and then I investigate the implications of that talk.
Previous research has demonstrated that people with chronic overlapping pain conditions often endure negative talk from medical providers who question and/or contest the reality of their identity and illness experience, which can impose constraints on patients’ ability to carry out the communication work necessary to manage their pain (Hintz & Suk, 2023; Thompson et al., 2023). Therefore, the present study also seeks to further clarify the associations between disenfranchising talk, the consequences of this talk, communication work, and subsequent health outcomes such as patient quality of life. Lastly, this study investigates the potential influence of perceived social support on these associations. This project is guided by two complementary, newly developed communication frameworks: The Theory of Communicative Disenfranchisement (Hintz & Wilson, 2021; Hintz et al., 2023), and the Integrative Theory of Communication Work (Donovan & Hazlett, 2023). Results from a cross-sectional online survey of 296 American adults with one or more chronic overlapping pain conditions demonstrated that disenfranchising talk from medical providers was positively associated with COPC patients reported proximal consequences of that talk in terms of threats to their agency, credibility, and rights/privileges. Contrary to the researcher’s predictions, disenfranchising talk was not associated with patients’ quality of life. Moreover, COPC patients’ perceptions of social support did not moderate the indirect effect between disenfranchising talk and QOL through PCs. The findings from this study also indicated that disenfranchising talk was positively associated with all aspects of communication work (i.e., effort/burden, preparing and planning, divisible labor, and duties/obligations). Lastly, the results indicated that the negative indirect effect of DT on QOL through PCs becomes weaker as communication work increases.
The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of health communication research on disenfranchising communicative experiences during chronic illness and also lend credibility to/extend existing theoretical perspectives of communication work.
Abstract
Disenfranchising Talk and Communication Work of People with Chronic Overlapping Pain Conditions
Karly Quaack, Ph.D.
The University of Texas at Austin, 2024
Supervisor: Erin Donovan
This dissertation explores important unanswered questions regarding interpersonal communication among individuals coping with chronic overlapping pain conditions. Specifically, in this study I examine how individuals with one or more chronic overlapping pain conditions (COPCs), such as fibromyalgia, experience negative talk from healthcare providers, and then I investigate the implications of that talk.
Previous research has demonstrated that people with chronic overlapping pain conditions often endure negative talk from medical providers who question and/or contest the reality of their identity and illness experience, which can impose constraints on patients’ ability to carry out the communication work necessary to manage their pain (Hintz & Suk, 2023; Thompson et al., 2023). Therefore, the present study also seeks to further clarify the associations between disenfranchising talk, the consequences of this talk, communication work, and subsequent health outcomes such as patient quality of life. Lastly, this study investigates the potential influence of perceived social support on these associations. This project is guided by two complementary, newly developed communication frameworks: The Theory of Communicative Disenfranchisement (Hintz & Wilson, 2021; Hintz et al., 2023), and the Integrative Theory of Communication Work (Donovan & Hazlett, 2023). Results from a cross-sectional online survey of 296 American adults with one or more chronic overlapping pain conditions demonstrated that disenfranchising talk from medical providers was positively associated with COPC patients reported proximal consequences of that talk in terms of threats to their agency, credibility, and rights/privileges. Contrary to the researcher’s predictions, disenfranchising talk was not associated with patients’ quality of life. Moreover, COPC patients’ perceptions of social support did not moderate the indirect effect between disenfranchising talk and QOL through PCs. The findings from this study also indicated that disenfranchising talk was positively associated with all aspects of communication work (i.e., effort/burden, preparing and planning, divisible labor, and duties/obligations). Lastly, the results indicated that the negative indirect effect of DT on QOL through PCs becomes weaker as communication work increases.
The findings of this study contribute to a growing body of health communication research on disenfranchising communicative experiences during chronic illness and also lend credibility to/extend existing theoretical perspectives of communication work.
