Social representations of dementia. A qualitative inquiry into perspectives of people with dementia, professionals, and informal caregivers.

Using a theoretical framework that underscores the social dimension of meaning-making processes, this study delved into the social representations of dementia in the Italian context and the personal meanings expressed by three distinct groups of participants. The study involved ninety-two episodic interviews with people living with dementia and those who had provided care as professionals or informal caregivers. The collected data underwent various types of analysis. A hierarchical descending analysis was initially conducted using IRaMuTeQ to elucidate the lexical worlds that form the shared idea of dementia. This was followed by a more interpretative thematic analysis using Atlas.ti. The results reveal the diverse perspectives of the groups in articulating the contents of social representations, which can guide actions in the care and management of the disease.