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    Tortoise or hare? Supporting the chronotype preference of employees with fluctuating chronic illness symptoms

    Thompson, Laura and Ford, H. and Stroud, A. and Madill, A. (2019) Tortoise or hare? Supporting the chronotype preference of employees with fluctuating chronic illness symptoms. Psychology & Health 34 (6), pp. 695-714. ISSN 0887-0446.

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    Abstract

    Objective: Our aim is to understand how to facilitate the job retention of employees with chronic illness. We focus on multiple sclerosis (MS) as a criterion chronic illness. Design: An opportunity sample of 20 individuals of working age (13 female; 7 male) were recruited who had been in paid employment for over 28 months with a concurrent diagnosis of MS. Participants took part in one of three focus groups with a topic guide comprising eight keywords: work, coping, performance, support, future, expectations, and sharing symptoms. Data were analysed using dialogical analysis. Main outcome measures: As a qualitative study, no outcome measure was used. However, the specific focus of interest was to search for differential patterns of ‘timespace’ – chronotope - that people with chronic illness utilize to manage their condition in the workplace. Results: Participants oriented to two distinct chronotope types: unsustainable epic (characterized by condensed time) and temporary idyll (characterized by condensed space). Perceived managerial discretion was identified as possibly influencing participants’ chronotope preference. Conclusion: Identifying chronotope preference has practical implications for health psychologists and related professionals who provide and advise on support to facilitate people with chronic illness to thrive in the workplace.

    Metadata

    Item Type: Article
    Additional Information: This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis, available online at the link above.
    School: Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Business and Law > Birkbeck Business School
    Research Centres and Institutes: Sustainable Working Life, Centre for
    Depositing User: Laura Thompson
    Date Deposited: 04 Jan 2019 15:47
    Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 17:47
    URI: https://eprints.bbk.ac.uk/id/eprint/25712

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