Ethno-, socio-cultural and nosological peculiarities of the phenomenon of secondary gain from illness (SGI)

Abstract

Secondary gain from illness (SGI), understood as a complex of social (external) and intrapsychological (internal) advantages obtained by individual during his/her illness, was investigated in ethno-, sociocultural and nosological directions. Respondents of Kyrgyztan, Russia, France, and USA reported different levels of SGI, which indicates that SGI has sociocultural nature and is unique in each society. At the same time different levels of internal secondary gain was found in patients with schizophrenia and somatoform disorders which means that neurotic and psychotic symptoms play different role in gratification of meta-needs. Authors propose some additional aspects to the psychodynamic model of SGI.