Socialization to the Chronic Sick Role in Later Life

Abstract

This study examines sick role identification and sick role retention as interrelated aspects of socialization to a chronic sick role. Focusing on physically impaired older people (55-85) and adopting an interactionist view, sick role socialization is seen in terms of both conformity (mirroring the role casting of others) and improvisation (portraying sickness in pursuit of social support, legitimated dependency, and relief from social strain). Both models are generally supported by the data.