Regaining control: the process of adjustment after myocardial infarction.

The purpose of this study was to examine the process of adjustment that individuals experience after having a myocardial infarction (MI). The study used a grounded theory approach. Interviews with 14 individuals who had an MI provided the major source of data. The findings of this study indicate that the process of adjustment after MI is variable and incorporates four stages. In each of these stages the individual focuses on the core process of regaining a sense of personal control. The first stage of the adjustment process involves attempts to defend oneself against a threatened loss of control. In the second stage, the individual struggles to come to terms with the MI. Throughout the third stage, numerous strategies are used to reestablish a sense of control. If control is reestablished the individual progresses to the final stage of adjustment. The hallmarks of the final stage include an acceptance of limitations, a refocusing on issues other than the MI, and a perceived sense of mastery.