An examination of the self-regulation model in atrial fibrillation

Objectives. To examine the role of the presence of symptoms on illness repr esentations. To examine the success of the Self-Regulation Model in explain ing psychosocial adjustment in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Design. A cross-sectional study of 62 AF patients attending either speciali zed AF or cardiac out-patient clinics. Method. Individuals were classified as symptomatic or asymptomatic and comp leted the Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ), COPE, and Psychosocial Ad justment to Illness Scale (PAIS). Comparisons between groups and explanatio n of psychosocial adjustment were examined. Results. Symptomatic and asymptomatic participants did not differ on subsca les of the IPQ, with the exception of identity. Both symptom status and IPQ subscales explained independent and significant amounts of variance in PAI S domains. In contrast the COPE accounted for minimal amounts of variance i n all PAIS domains. Conclusions. The presence of symptoms is not directly influential in the el aboration of the illness representation. Both symptoms and illness represen tations should be targeted in interventions to improve adjustment to AF.