Table 1.

Self-Management Processes

Processes	Tasks	Skills
Focusing on illness needs
Learning	Learning about condition and health needs	Acquiring information Learning regimen, skills, and strategies
Taking ownership of health needs	Recognizing and managing body responses	Monitoring and managing symptoms, side effects, and body responses Recognizing limits Adjusting treatment regimen to manage symptoms and side effects
	Completing health tasks	Keeping appointments Managing/taking medications Performing treatments and keeping up with changes in one's regimen
	Becoming an expert	Goal setting Decision making Problem solving Planning, prioritizing and pacing Knowing if/when to take a break from one's regimen Developing confidence and self-efficacy Evaluating effectiveness of self-management
Performing health promotion activities	Changing behaviors to minimize disease impact	Modifying diet, nutrition, smoking, and physical activity Reducing stress Taking action to prevent complications
	Sustaining health promotion activities	Keeping up with screenings, immunizations, and lifestyle modifications Using complementary therapy
Activating resources
Healthcare resources	Creating and maintaining relationships with healthcare providers	Finding the right provider(s) Communicating effectively Making decisions collaboratively
	Navigating the healthcare system	Coordinating services/appointments, insurance Using resources effectively Creating and revisiting advance care plans
Psychological resources	Identifying and benefiting from psychological resources	Drawing on intrinsic resources, e.g., creativity Drawing strength and wisdom from past experiences Cultivating courage, discipline, and motivation Maintaining positive outlook and hope Maintaining self-worth Advocating for self
Spiritual resources	Sustaining spiritual self	Acknowledging a higher power Nurturing the spirit Praying Being part of a spiritual community
Social resources	Obtaining and managing social support	Seeking support of family and friends Being proactive to limit isolation Creating a community of peers with similar experiences Working through issues of dependence/independence Assisting others to become partners in disease management (e.g., distributing tasks)
Community resources	Addressing social and environmental challenges	Seeking resources, such as financial assistance (e.g., prescription subsidies), environmental support (e.g., assistive devices), and community resources (e.g., transportation)
Living with a chronic illness
Processing emotions	Processing and sharing emotions	Exploring and expressing emotional responses Dealing with shock of diagnosis, self-blame, and guilt Grieving
Adjusting	Adjusting to illness	Making sense of illness Identifying and confronting change and loss (e.g., changes in physical function, role, identity, body image, control, and mortality) Managing uncertainty Developing coping strategies (e.g., self-talk) Dealing with discouraging setbacks Focusing on possibilities (e.g., envisioning the future, reframing adversity into opportunity) Accepting the “new normal”
	Adjusting to “new” self	Clarifying and re-establishing roles Examining health beliefs Making social comparisons Choosing when and to whom to disclose illness Dealing with stigma
Integrating illness into daily life	Modifying lifestyle to adapt to disease	Reorganizing everyday life Obtaining assistance with activities of daily living Creating a consistent health routine Controlling environment Being flexible
	Seeking normalcy in life	Carrying out normal tasks and responsibilities as much as possible Managing disruptions in school, work, family, and social activities Balancing living life with health needs Finding new enjoyable activities
Meaning making	Reevaluating life	Reflecting on/rearranging priorities and values Reframing expectations of life and self Coming to terms with terminal condition and end of life
	Personal growth	Learning personal strengths and limitations Becoming empowered Being altruistic
	Striving for personal satisfaction	Finding meaning in work, relationships, activities, and spirituality Creating a sense of purpose Appreciating life