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Phenomenological Approach (phenomenological + approach)
Selected AbstractsAdaptation of Sudanese Refugees in an Australian Context: Investigating Helps and HindrancesINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 1 2010Jane Shakespeare-Finch The present study investigates the experiences of Sudanese refugees by exploring the themes that characterize participants' experiences in Sudan, en route, and at their Australian destination. In particular, the research identifies several factors that may be seen as ,helps' or ,hindrances' to Sudanese refugees' adaptation. Participants were 12 Sudanese refugees aged between 19 and 40 years old who had been residing in Australia for five years or less. A qualitative phenomenological approach to data collection and analysis was employed. Examination of the interview transcripts revealed that all participants identified both ,hindrances' and ,helps' toward adaptation and indicated that positive adaptation is not only possible, but probable for Sudanese refugees in spite of their past experiences of trauma and present resettlement difficulties. Several practical implications were elicited from the research including a need for programs that actively promote refugees' adaptation by encouraging the broadening of social networks. [source] Toward a Critical Phenomenology of "Illegality": State Power, Criminalization, and Abjectivity among Undocumented Migrant Workers in Tel Aviv, IsraelINTERNATIONAL MIGRATION, Issue 3 2007Sarah S. Willen ABSTRACT Given the vast scope and magnitude of the phenomenon of so-called "illegal" migration in the present historical moment, this article contends that phenomenologically engaged ethnography has a crucial role to play in sensitizing not only anthropologists, but also policymakers, politicians, and broader publics to the complicated, often anxiety-ridden and frightening realities associated with "the condition of migrant illegality," both of specific host society settings and comparatively across the globe. In theoretical terms, the article constitutes a preliminary attempt to link pressing questions in the fields of legal anthropology and anthropology of transnational migration, on one hand, with recent work by phenomenologically oriented scholars interested in the anthropology of experience, on the other. The article calls upon ethnographers of undocumented transnational migration to bridge these areas of scholarship by applying what can helpfully be characterized as a "critical phenomenological" approach to the study of migrant "illegality" (Willen, 2006; see also Desjarlais, 2003). This critical phenomenological approach involves a three-dimensional model of illegality: first, as a form of juridical status; second, as a sociopolitical condition; and third, as a mode of being-in-the-world. In developing this model, the article draws upon 26 non-consecutive months of ethnographic field research conducted within the communities of undocumented West African (Nigerian and Ghanaian) and Filipino migrants in Tel Aviv, Israel, between 2000 and 2004. During the first part of this period, "illegal" migrants in Israel were generally treated as benign, excluded "Others." Beginning in mid-2002, however, a resource-intensive, government-sponsored campaign of mass arrest and deportation reconfigured the condition of migrant "illegality" in Israel and, in effect, transformed these benign "Others" into wanted criminals. By analyzing this transformation the article highlights the profound significance of examining not only the judicial and sociopolitical dimensions of what it means to be "illegal" but also its impact on migrants' modes of being-in-the-world. [source] Cooperativity and allostery in haemoglobin functionIUBMB LIFE, Issue 2 2008Chiara Ciaccio Abstract Tetrameric haemoglobins display a cooperative ligand binding behaviour, which has been attributed to the functional interrelationship between multiple ligand binding sites. The quantitative description of this feature was initially carried out with a phenomenological approach, which was limited to the functional effect of the occupancy by a ligand molecule of a binding site on further binding steps. However, subsequent development of structural,functional models for the description of the cooperativity in haemoglobin brought about a much deeper information on the interrelationships between ligand binding at the heme and structural variations occurring in the surrounding free subunits. This approach opened the way to the evolution of the concept of allostery, which is intended as the structural,functional effect exerted by the presence of a ligand in a binding site on other binding sites present in the same molecule. This concept can be applied to either sites for the same ligand (homotropic allostery) and for sites of different ligands (heterotropic allostery). Several models trying to take into account the continuous building up of structural and functional information on the physicochemical properties of haemoglobin have been developed along this line. © 2008 IUBMB IUBMB Life, 60(2): 112,123, 2008 [source] Transformational experiences in adult-to-adult living-donor liver transplant recipientsJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 1 2010Akemi Watanabe Abstract Title.,Transformational experiences in adult-to-adult living-donor liver transplant recipients. Aim., This paper is a report of a study conducted to explore the transformational experiences of adult-to-adult living-donor liver transplant recipients. Background., Living-donor liver transplant was developed to overcome the shortage of cadaveric livers available for transplantation. However, living-donor liver transplant generates multifaceted psychosocial problems for recipients. Method., Data were collected from 2002 to 2004 through in-depth interviews and participant observations. We adopted a phenomenological approach that examined the experience of 30 recipients. Findings., We classified the experiences into three types: common, innate and unrealized. Analysis of the transcripts revealed four themes, all with associated sub-themes. The first theme, guilt and concrete issues, includes anguish when thinking about survival by hurting a potential donor and problems associated with donor and cost. The second theme, let it happen includes leave it to fate; ambivalence; and worry about the donor candidate and whether he/she will change their mind. The third theme, pain, includes extreme physical and mental pain for me and the donor; and worry about cost. The fourth theme, balancing gains and losses, includes grateful for and hoping to enjoy my new life; burden of new body; difficulty in adapting to modified life plan; and changes in family relationships. Conclusion., Nursing practice should be developed to (1) give support to patients and their families during decision-making; (2) give support for the dramatic life change; (3) help recipients accept the reality of the transplant; and (4) help achieve the essential balance between feelings of attainment and loss. [source] The experience of life after burn injury: a new bodily awarenessJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 3 2008Asgjerd Litleré Moi Abstract Aim., This paper is a report of a study to describe the injured body of people who have survived a major burn and seeks to understand the essence of their lived experience. Background., The burden of a burn-injured body, including loss of function, altered appearance and psychological distress, can threaten return to preburn state of life and successful return to society. Method., Fourteen participants (three women and 11 men; mean age 46 years) who had survived a major burn were interviewed in 2005,2006 an average 14 months after injury. A Husserlian phenomenological approach was adopted. Findings., A new and demanding bodily awareness, disclosing both limitations and potentials, emerged as the essence of the burn survivors' experience of their injured bodies. This was supported by a descriptive structure of the body as telling a new story, being unfamiliar to watch and sense, vulnerable and in need of protection, more present with a variety of nuisances, having brakes on and resisting habitual actions, as well as being insecure when distrusting own abilities. Participants typically experienced losing the familiarity of their bodies as anonymous and unconsciously at hand for all possible actions in everyday life. Significant others served as buffers, extensions of participants' injured bodies, reducing obstacles and insecurity in all aspects of life. Conclusion., The lived experience of people who have sustained a burn injury should be recognized and valued by nurses in all phases of burn care. Nurses have an important role in facilitating the presence and involvement of family and friends in the recovery and rehabilitation of burn survivors. [source] Living with stroke: a phenomenological studyJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 2 2000Christopher R. Burton PGCertHE BN RGN Living with stroke: a phenomenological study Understanding how stroke sufferers experience their stroke and recovery is essential if the development of rehabilitation services is to be effective and appropriate. Previous research in this area has tended to be either cross-sectional or with a limited amount of informant follow-up, and consequently has limited utility. This paper describes a study underpinned by a phenomenological approach, which tracked the experiences of six patients admitted to a rehabilitation unit in the north-west of England. Informants were followed for at least 12 months after stroke, and a total of 73 interviews were undertaken during the study. The data demonstrate that recovery from stroke involved restructuring and adaptation in physical, social and emotional aspects of an individual's life. Two important features of recovery were highlighted. First, whilst aspects of pre-stroke life may be used to describe individual progress, no end-point to recovery was identified as informants described and anticipated life with stroke. Second, informants focused on the social context of recovery where engagement in the social world was emphasized over discrete physical function. Although no common path of recovery was found, it is recommended that stroke services are structured to take account of the long-term needs of stroke patients and their families in their home environment. [source] South Asian patients' lived experience of acute care in an English hospital: a phenomenological studyJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 1 2000Vasso Vydelingum PhD BSc(Hons) PG DipEd RN RHV DN South Asian patients' lived experience of acute care in an English hospital: a phenomenological study Studies on utilization of hospital services by South Asian patients in the United Kingdom have consistently demonstrated levels of dissatisfaction with care in relation to meeting religious and cultural needs, although there are few studies on minority ethnic patients' utilization of acute hospital services. This study aimed to describe and interpret from the consumer's view the ,lived experience' of acute hospital care from the perspectives of South Asian patients and their family carers. The purposive sample of 10 patients and six carers consisted of 13 females and three males (five Hindus, six Muslims and five Sikhs) who were interviewed at home 2 to 3 weeks after discharge from hospital. Data were gathered through semi-structured interviews that were tape recorded and transcribed. A phenomenological approach was used, and data were analysed using the principles of Heideggerian hermeneutics. Five themes were identified, ranging from feelings of satisfaction with care, unhappy about the service, fitting-in strategies and post-discharge coping mechanisms. Patients seemed to want to cause as little disruption as possible to the ward environment and tried to fit in to what they refer to as an ,English place'. The findings, although not generalizable, offer important insights into how South Asian patients survive their journey through their hospital stay and have implications for the provision of nursing care for minority ethnic patients. [source] Using Q-Methodology to Involve People with Intellectual Disability in Evaluating Person-Centred PlanningJOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 3 2004Helen Combes Objectives Person-centred approaches do not easily lend themselves to standard methods of evaluation. This study develops a technique that will involve service users and their circle of support in making individual plans. Methodology Q-methodology is a phenomenological approach, which enables the researcher to co-construct the stories of many people. Two people with learning disabilities and seven members of their circle of support were identified to participate in the study. They attended a stakeholder meeting to identify 36 valued activities. The 16 participants then completed a Q-sort using photographs to represent these activities. These sorts were then interpreted using Q-methodology. Results There were a number of intercorrelations between the card sorts. Principle component analysis showed that two factors accounted for 73% of the variance of the data. The two clusters represented the members of each person's circle of support. Analysis and comparison of the factors have highlighted the similarities and differences between individuals and their circle of support. Conclusions This study shows that Q-methodology is a useful adjunct to person-centred planning. Looking at and interpreting the data, which emerge through Q-methodology, hashighlighted both similarities and individual differences for goal planning. It has also highlighted potential areas for service change and development. Using Q-sorts over time may be a way to demonstrate the subjective change in peoples' values that occur through person-centred planning (PCP). [source] Healing Patterns Revealed in Middle School Boys' Experiences of Being Bullied Using Roger's Science of Unitary Human Beings (SUHB)JOURNAL OF CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHIATRIC NURSING, Issue 3 2010Danny G. Willis DNS, PMHCNS-BC PROBLEM:, Although two of the primary risk factors for being bullied include "male" and "middle school" status, a gap in knowledge exists of middle school boys' personal accounts and meanings of being bullied and their healing. METHODS:, Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological approach using open-ended semi-structured individual interviews was used to collect and analyze evidence related to middle school boys' lived experiences of being bullied and healing. Roger's Science of Unitary Human Beings (SUHB) guided interpretation of the healing patterns. FINDINGS:, Three patterns of healing were identified in boys' experiences: meaning-making, self-transcendence, and nonviolently claiming personal power. CONCLUSIONS:, Evidence of healing patterns exists in middle school boys' experiences of being bullied, offering a foundation for further research and practice focused on healing. When working with middle school boys who have been bullied, nurses need to ask about their experiences and promote their healing. [source] Heart transplantation experiences: a phenomenological approachJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7b 2008Maria Lúcia Araújo Sadala PhD Aim., The aim of this study was to understand the heart transplantation experience based on patients' descriptions. Background., To patients with heart failure, heart transplantation represents a possibility to survive and improve their quality of life. Studies have shown that more quality of life is related to patients' increasing awareness and participation in the work of the healthcare team in the post-transplantation period. Deficient relationships between patients and healthcare providers result in lower compliance with the postoperative regimen. Method., A phenomenological approach was used to interview 26 patients who were heart transplant recipients. Patients were interviewed individually and asked this single question: What does the experience of being heart transplanted mean? Participants' descriptions were analysed using phenomenological reduction, analysis and interpretation. Results., Three categories emerged from data analysis: (i) the time lived by the heart recipient; (ii) donors, family and caregivers and (iii) reflections on the experience lived. Living after heart transplant means living in a complex situation: recipients are confronted with lifelong immunosuppressive therapy associated with many side-effects. Some felt healthy whereas others reported persistence of complications as well as the onset of other pathologies. However, all participants celebrated an improvement in quality of life. Health caregivers, their social and family support had been essential for their struggle. Participants realised that life after heart transplantation was a continuing process demanding support and structured follow-up for the rest of their lives. Conclusion., The findings suggest that each individual has unique experiences of the heart transplantation process. To go on living participants had to accept changes and adapt: to the organ change, to complications resulting from rejection of the organ, to lots of pills and food restrictions. Relevance to clinical practice., Stimulating a heart transplant patients spontaneous expression about what they are experiencing and granting them the actual status of the main character in their own story is important to their care. [source] Seizing possibilities for positive family caregiving in nursing homesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 8 2007Ursula Kellett PhD Aims., This paper explores the ways family members reconstruct meaning through seizing possibilities for positive caregiving in nursing homes. Background., The importance of the ability of family caregivers to adapt and accommodate has been well documented in international family caregiving research. Through engagement in caregiving activities, families learn to modify, adapt and accommodate to changes in their situation and relationships. The support family caregivers experience in learning to accommodate change is crucial in enabling them to reconstruct positive aspects of caregiving in a long-term aged care context. Method., In this study, a hermeneutic phenomenological approach was adopted informed by the philosophical world views of Heidegger and Gadamer. Data collected by in-depth interviews and participant observations, from a purposeful sample of 14 family caregivers, underwent hermeneutic analysis. Results., Five shared meanings associated with seizing possibilities for positive caregiving were revealed: accommodating new and different ways of caring; feeling a part of the nursing home community; seeing the whole picture; learning to care in stress-reducing ways and learning to seize possibilities for self. Conclusion., This paper illustrates how families, through caregiving experience in nursing homes, learn to become active managers, negotiating, accommodating and redeveloping a sense of future viewed with hope, strength and positive anticipation. Relevance to clinical practice., By highlighting what is attributed significance by families, a critical examination of the difficult issues which obstruct the development of meaningful partnerships among nurses, family and their relatives is facilitated. In particular, an examination of tensions at an ideological level supports the need for future research to focus its efforts on examining the ways of implementing nursing care that facilitates partnerships that incorporate and build upon positive and equal relations among staff, families and residents in the context of the nursing home setting. [source] The patient's vulnerability, dependence and exposed situation in the discharge process: experiences of district nurses, geriatric nurses and social workersJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 10 2006IngBritt Rydeman MSc Aim., The aim of the study was to obtain a deeper understanding of the experiences of the discharge process among different professionals. Background., An optimal discharge process for hospitalized elderly to other forms of care is of crucial importance, especially since health and medical policies encourages shorter hospital stays and increased healthcare service in outpatient care. Methods., Nurses and social workers from inpatient care, outpatient care, municipal care and social services were interviewed. Eight focus-group interviews with a total of 31 persons were conducted. The subsequent analyses followed a phenomenological approach. Results., The findings revealed three themes, Framework, Basic Values and Patient Resources, which influenced the professionals' actions in the discharge process. The overall emerging structure comprised the patient's vulnerability, dependence and exposed situation in the discharge process. Conclusion., In conclusion some factors are of special importance for the co-operation and the actions of professionals involved in the discharge process. Firstly, a distinct and common framework, with conscious and organizationally based values. Secondly the need to take the patient resources into consideration. Together these factors could contribute to secure the patients involvement in the discharge process and to design an optimal, safe and good care. Relevance to clinical practice:, Collaborative approaches among a range of professionals within a variety of organizations are common, especially in the care of the elderly. The role and support of both the organizations and the educational units are decisive factors in this area. [source] Lived experiences of eating problems for patients with head and neck cancer during radiotherapyJOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 4 2003Maria Larsson MNSc Summary ,,Only a small proportion of cancer patients undergo radical radiotherapy to the head and neck, but their needs are particularly complex. Although extensive research describes the side-effects of radiotherapy to the head and neck, few studies focus on patients' subjective experiences of eating problems and the impact these have on the patients' daily life. ,,In this study a phenomenological approach was used, as the purpose was to acquire deeper understanding of head and neck cancer patients' lived experiences of eating problems, their consequences in daily life and patients' strategies of coping with these problems. ,,Eight patients from two radiation therapy departments in mid-Sweden were interviewed in an open dialogue. Data analysis was based on Colaizzi's method. ,,Eating problems experienced were captured in two interrelated main themes: ,Ability to chew and swallow' and ,Will and desire to eat'. The eating problems were found to cause a number of severe consequences in daily life. These are incorporated into one main theme: ,The way of life is disturbed'. Ways to cope with this disturbance were captured in one main theme: ,Trying to see the end , To survive'. ,,This study identifies the need to view eating problems as a complex phenomenon in a specific context including the individual patient's life situation. The findings create the opportunity to develop nursing interventions based on patients' own needs. To facilitate this, a specialist nurse should be responsible for reviewing patients regularly throughout radiation therapy. Intervention studies are needed to provide optimal clinical guidelines. [source] Living with a spouse with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: the meaning of wives' experiencesJOURNAL OF NURSING AND HEALTHCARE OF CHRONIC ILLNE SS: AN INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL, Issue 4 2009Anne H Boyle PhD Aim., To describe and understand the meaning of the experience of living with a spouse who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Background., Living with a spouse with a chronic illness may have a profound effect on women's lives since society expects families, and especially women, to care for the chronically ill. The family member providing care and support is usually the wife. Design., This study investigated the wife's experience of living with a husband's chronic illness. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to describe and understand the experience of women living with a spouse who has chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to determine the meaning this experience has for their lives. Methods., In-depth interviews were conducted with ten women whose husbands had mild to severe obstructive lung disease. Thematic analysis was based on interpretive methods. Data were collected in 1997. Results., The findings are presented as two clusters, living with everyday illness and surviving the illness. Everyday illness includes monitoring, regulating activity, integrating illness effects, and managing technologies. Surviving the illness includes riding the roller coaster, keep on going, garnering support and finding explanations. Conclusions., The spouse's illness had a major influence on these women's lives, and the effects are very complex and interwoven with one another. Relevance to clinical practice., Health professionals can have a major role in assisting women to both live with the everyday illness and to survive its effects. Women were eager to tell their stories. Health professionals can help women deal with the experience by forming support groups and by asking the ,How can I help?' question more often and then actively listening to expressed concerns. Supporting women in their monitoring and regulating role is especially critical. [source] A phenomenological exploration of intellectual disability: nurse's experiences of managerial supportJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 6 2010GERALDINE GALVIN MSc, RNID galvin g. & timmins f. (2010) Journal of Nursing Management 18, 726,735 A phenomenological exploration of intellectual disability: nurse's experiences of managerial support Aim, The present study aimed to explore Registered Nurse Intellectual Disabilities (RNIDs) experiences of managerial support. Background, The current work environment for RNIDs is undergoing immense change. These changes include the introduction of social care leaders and care staff to care for people with an intellectual disability (ID) and community-based approaches to care. This has led to ambiguity and marginalization for RNIDs thus requiring them to re-establish their role boundaries. Support is thus required, through this change process, with managers required to lead and support RNIDs through this process. Methods, A Heideggerian constructivist phenomenological approach was used. Findings, Four overarching themes emerged from the data: The Professional Role of the Clinical Nurse Manager (CNM), Leadership Role of the CNM, Personal Supports and the Effects of CNM support. Conclusion, The themes found in this research study correlate with findings of other research studies on nurses' experiences of managerial support in various nurse settings. Implications for nursing management, The findings of this research study will illuminate and create an understanding for nurses, nurse managers and ID services of what managerial supports are to this specific group of RNIDs working in this service for people with an ID. [source] Support needs of children's nurses involved in child protection casesJOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 6 2009VICKI ROWSE MA Aim, This qualitative study explored the experiences of nurses working in a hospital paediatric department, who had direct involvement in child protection cases, to discover their support needs and suggest developments in training and support. Background, The study was inspired by an awareness of increasing anxiety amongst nurses involved in child protection cases. Method, A phenomenological approach was used with fifteen nurses during semi-structured interviews, which were taped, transcribed and analysed thematically. Results, Involvement in child protection has a lasting impact; nurses need procedural information from a knowledgeable supporter during a case; and, they need individualized support. The personal qualities of the Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children were crucial. Conclusions, Involvement in child protection cases has lasting effects for individuals. The emotions generated can lead to interagency and inter-professional communication difficulties and affect the future management of child protection by individuals. Seeking support can be hampered by individuals' fear of ridicule or of making a mistake. Implications for nursing management, This study has implications for the training of children's nurses in child protection procedures, and the provision of appropriate effective support for individuals. The long-term effects of involvement are previously unreported by nurses. [source] The experiences of carers in Taiwanese culture who have long-term schizophrenia in their families: a phenomenological studyJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 10 2009X.-Y. HUANG rn msc dnsc Accessible summary ,,Carers in families with long-term schizophrenia in Taiwanese culture are suffering several burdens, such as burdens of caring and emotional burdens. ,,Strategies of coping, cognitive and religious coping strategies were used by carers in order to cope with their burdens. ,,The awareness of such traditional cultural values would help people to provide care in a culturally sensitive manner. Abstract Schizophrenia is a severe illness with little hope of recovery and requires long-term care. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of carers who live with someone with long-term schizophrenia, within the cultural context of Taiwan. The study was conducted in a community setting in central Taiwan. A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of carers. Purposive sampling was used by selecting the carers who were close relatives of the clients, had lived with the clients for at least 1 year and bore most of the responsibilities. Semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted to collect the data and narratives were analysed using Colaizzi's (1978) seven-step method. Data saturation was achieved after interviewing 10 carers. Three themes and eight sub-themes were identified: burdens of caring (helping clients' illness, lack of professional support and family conflicts), emotional burdens (sadness, worry and fear) and strategies of coping (cognitive and religious coping strategies). Our study supported the importance for nurses to understand the cultural aspects of mental illness, particularly the widespread cultural beliefs and patterns of help seeking behaviours, in order to provide culturally sensitive health care. [source] Patients' experience of learning and gaining personal knowledge during a stay at a mental hospitalJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 5 2008L. BORGE ba rpn rnt The focus is on voluntarily hospitalized patients' subjective experiences of learning and gaining personal knowledge during a stay at a mental hospital. The aim was to explore and describe patients' learning as personal knowledge acquisition related to the therapeutic process during hospitalization. The study was exploratory and descriptive, with a hermeneutic , phenomenological approach in data collection and analysis. Qualitative interviews were carried out with 15 patients during and after their stay. A re-analysis was conducted. The results underline the importance of the environmental effects on patients' motivation for learning and self-esteem in an acknowledging milieu. Moving towards relearning presupposes that the patient's motivation is aroused. Patients must participate in the treatment and the validity of the knowledge must be tested in the individual patient's life. The patients confirmed and helped each other to increase insight through recognizing each other's problems and reactions. Time in itself seemed to increase self-reflection. Receiving impulses and getting concrete tools through therapy stimulated meaning and hope for future living. The professionals must use a holistic approach including a learning climate in pleasant surroundings and a conjoint contribution from fellow patients and staff. Further research should focus on how to combine therapy with learning , preferably by means of a co-operative inquiry design. [source] Developing services for the carers of young adults with early-onset psychosis , listening to their experiences and needsJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 5 2005J. SIN msc bsc (hons)-thorn bn bgs rmn The care-giving experience of carers of young adults with early onset psychosis is relatively unexplored. New carers are less likely to be engaged with local services for carers and families, than those more established in their caring role. Understanding the experience of these carers provides some valuable insight into the value of caring and in guiding service development. This paper reports on a study designed to explore carers' experiences of caring for a young adult diagnosed with a first psychotic episode and their needs in relation to the development of an early intervention for psychosis service. A phenomenological approach was used. Eleven carers were given a semi-structured interview in their own homes. All of the carers in the study had a son with early onset psychosis. The outcome revealed that all carers were providing a comprehensive range of practical, emotional and financial support for their son including initiating and sustaining engagement between them and local mental health services. Many carers were felt to be invisible and silent partners in care and felt under-valued by mental health services. [source] Caring for clients with dual diagnosis in rural communities in Australia: the experience of mental health professionalsJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 3 2005C. DEANS rmn, hv cert This paper identifies and describes the experiences of 13 rural mental health professionals who care for clients diagnosed with a mental illness and a coexisting alcohol and other drug disorder (dual diagnosis). Dual diagnosis is a common problem which is often poorly understood and managed by mental health professionals. The effect of excessive substance use on a person's mental well-being can present as a diagnostic challenge as each condition may mask symptoms of the other. The authors utilized a phenomenological approach to discover the experiences of a group of mental health professionals working in rural communities in Victoria, Australia. Caring for clients diagnosed with dual diagnosis was found to be a complex and stressful role that involved high levels of skill and knowledge. Despite the fact that health professionals in rural areas are expected to deliver the most appropriate care to individuals with a dual diagnosis, a number of these rural health professionals have limited preparation and experience in dealing with arising clinical diagnosis issues. Clinicians experience frustration, resentment and powerlessness in their attempt to understand their clients' drug misuse whilst simultaneously endeavouring to provide a quality mental health service. [source] The meaning of respite care to mothers of children with learning disabilities: two Irish case studiesJOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 3 2003L. HARTREY RGN Dip. There is a growing interest in Ireland in the nature and significance of respite care for carers and those for whom they care. The relationship of individual stress with caring full time for a child who is learning disabled is well documented. Provision of respite care is seen as an important means of alleviating individual carer stress. Yet, the apparent benefits of respite care have been called into question. The present study looks at this issue within the context of respite service provision in Ireland for young people with learning disabilities. A phenomenological approach was used to explore the views of two mothers on respite care and, in particular, its personal significance for them within the context of their caring relationship for their children. The authors found that for these two mothers, whilst some of the predicted benefits of respite care were present, for example improved social activity, their use of respite care and the experience of separation initiated feelings of guilt and appeared to engender a degree of emotional stress. It is argued that providers of respite services in Ireland need to consider how they can support parents who use respite care so that they see its use as a mark of caring for their child and thereby alleviate such feelings of guilt. [source] Indexicality and experience: Exploring the meanings of /aw/-monophthongization in Pittsburgh1JOURNAL OF SOCIOLINGUISTICS, Issue 1 2008Barbara Johnstone In this paper we test the hypothesis that monophthongal /aw/ is semiotically associated with local identity in Pittsburgh. We compare results of an experimental task that directly elicits participants' sense of the indexical value of /aw/-monophthongization with the occurrence of this variant in the same people's speech. People who hear monophthongal /aw/ as an index of localness are unlikely to have this feature in their own speech, and many of the people who do monophthongize /aw/ do not associate this variant with localness. Exploring how four of these participants talk about this feature and its meanings, we show that the indexical meanings of speech features can vary widely within a community, and we illustrate the danger of confusing the meaning assigned by hearers to a linguistic form with the meaning users would assign to it. We suggest that a phenomenological approach, attending to the multiplicity and indeterminacy of indexical relations and to how such relations arise historically and in lived experience, can lead to a more nuanced account of the distribution of social meanings of variant forms than can studies of perception or production alone. [source] Information source horizons and source preferences of environmental activists: A social phenomenological approachJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2007Reijo Savolainen This study focuses on the ways in which people define their source preferences in the context of seeking orienting information for nonwork purposes. The conceptual framework of the study combines ideas drawn from social phenomenology and information-seeking studies. The study utilizes Alfred Schutz's model describing the ways in which actors structure everyday knowledge into regions of decreasing relevance. It is assumed that this structuring based on the actor's interest at hand is also reflected in the ways in which an actor prefers information sources and channels. The concept of information source horizon is used to elicit articulations of source preferences. The empirical part of the study draws on interviews with 20 individuals active in environmental issues. Printed media (newspapers), the Internet, and broadcast media (radio, television) were preferred in seeking for orienting information. The major source preferences were content of information, and availability and accessibility. Usability of information sources, user characteristics such as media habits, and situational factors were mentioned less frequently as preference criteria. [source] Elastic,ideally plastic beams and Prandtl,Ishlinskii hysteresis operatorsMATHEMATICAL METHODS IN THE APPLIED SCIENCES, Issue 18 2007Pavel Krej Abstract The one-dimensional equation for transversal vibrations of an elastoplastic beam is derived from a general three-dimensional system with a single-yield tensorial von Mises plasticity model. It leads after dimensional reduction to a multiyield scalar Prandtl,Ishlinskii hysteresis model whose weight function is explicitly given. The use of Prandtl,Ishlinskii operators in elastoplasticity is thus not just a questionable phenomenological approach, but in fact quite natural. The resulting partial differential equation with hysteresis is transformed into an equivalent system for which the existence and uniqueness of a strong solution is proved. The proof employs techniques from the mathematical theory of hysteresis operators. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Experience of Middle- and Old-Aged Women's AgingNURSING & HEALTH SCIENCES, Issue 3 2002Seung Eun Chung Many studies on aging have explored the effects of disease and other problems on the elderly. These studies have resulted in a view of aging that focuses on losses. How aging is perceived may affect the adaptation of the elderly to life changes. Therefore, there needs to be a better understanding of aging from the perspective of the middle-aged and older-aged adults. This qualitative study used a hermeneutic phenomenological approach to discover meaning in the aging experience. The purpose of this study was to explore the experience of middle-aged and older-aged women. Participants consisted of 10 women (five middle-aged women and five older-aged women) aged 40 years or more who lived in Chongiu. Multiple strategies for data collecting were utilized including an in-depth face-to-face interview and an analysis of the literature on aging, based on Van Manen's methodology of phenomenological research. The following themes emerged: (i) middle-aged women: changing of physical shape, the attachment of youth, loss of self-confidence, and preparing for one's own old age; (ii) old-aged women: changing of physical function, being ousted from the younger generation, rhythmical pattern of life and death, and reflection on life. [source] Growth kinetics and properties of ZnO/ZnMgO hetero- structures grown by radical-source molecular beam epitaxyPHYSICA STATUS SOLIDI (C) - CURRENT TOPICS IN SOLID STATE PHYSICS, Issue 1 2007S. V. Ivanov Abstract A phenomenological approach to quantitative description of Zn(Mg)O growth by radical-source molecular beam epitaxy, based on the experimental studies of RHEED intensity oscillations, has been developed. It allows a precise control of growth rate, composition and stoichiometry at any growth temperature, Along with optimization of a growth initiation procedure on a c-sapphire, it is necessary condition for fabrication of high quality ZnO epilayers and ZnO/ZnMgO heterostructures in a wide Mg composition range. (© 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source] Invisible work, unseen hazards: The health of women immigrant household service workers in SpainAMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 4 2010Emily Q. Ahonen PhD Abstract Background Household service work has been largely absent from occupational health studies. We examine the occupational hazards and health effects identified by immigrant women household service workers. Methods Exploratory, descriptive study of 46 documented and undocumented immigrant women in household services in Spain, using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected between September 2006 and May 2007 through focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews. Data were separated for analysis by documentation status and sorted using a mixed-generation process. In a second phase of analysis, data on psychosocial hazards were organized using the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire as a guide. Results Informants reported a number of environmental, ergonomic and psychosocial hazards and corresponding health effects. Psychosocial hazards were especially strongly present in data. Data on reported hazards were similar by documentation status and varied by several emerging categories: whether participants were primarily cleaners or carers and whether they lived in or outside of the homes of their employers. Documentation status was relevant in terms of empowerment and bargaining, but did not appear to influence work tasks or exposure to hazards directly. Conclusions Female immigrant household service workers are exposed to a variety of health hazards that could be acted upon by improved legislation, enforcement, and preventive workplace measures, which are discussed. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:405,416, 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Time-cure-temperature superposition for the prediction of instantaneous viscoelastic properties during curePOLYMER ENGINEERING & SCIENCE, Issue 6 2000Yongsung Eom The relative sequence of shrinkage and evolution of modulus of a thermoset resin during cure leads to the build-up of internal stresses, especially if the resin is constrained by the presence of other materials in the form of a substrate or reinforcing fibers. To enable prediction of the levels of internal stress generated during processing and to determine appropriate processing windows, the evolution of the modulus of an epoxy-amine system during cure has been characterized and described with a phenomenological model. A combined reaction kinetics model is used to determine the degree of conversion of the epoxy over any complete range of cure. The chemorheological properties of the resin are measured as a function of curing temperature with a torsional parallel plate rheometer. A new phenomenological approach for time-cure-temperature superposition is proposed for predicting the relaxation modulus at any moment during cure and at any cure temperature. The combination of these two models provides a full description of the instantaneous viscoelastic properties during cure. This approach, which can be adapted to any curing resin, provides suitable tools for the analysis of viscoelastic stress build-up following any industrially relevant cure cycle. [source] The Evil Eye (g,ajn) in Malta: Grappling with Skinner's pigeons and rehabilitating lame ducks1THE AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGY, Issue 2 2010Jean-Paul Baldacchino In this paper, I construct a plea for superstition and examine the ways in which contemporary scholars use the term to denote irrational belief. ,Superstition' has, throughout history, been used as a derogatory term denoting inferior and dangerous beliefs. Examining the process whereby people continue to believe that which they deem irrational, I adopt a reflexive and phenomenological approach. Focussing on the evil eye (g,ajn) in Malta and the Mediterranean, I redefine ,superstition' as the product of an intrasubjective antinomy between orthodoxy and its subversion. [source] PHENOMENOLOGY AND INTERPRETATION BEYOND THE FLESHART HISTORY, Issue 4 2009AMANDA BOETZKES This article explores the ethical questions surrounding the phenomenological approach to interpretation in art history. It addresses contemporary art, from postminimalist sculpture to installation. Although the risk of phenomenology is that it merely confirms and reproduces the viewer's perceptual expectations, in fact, on a deeper level, the notion of the ontological intertwining of the viewer and the artwork demands a receptive stance in the face of art. Through an investigation of the notions of embodiment, intentionality, and mode of confrontation, I suggest that phenomenology not only mediates a trenchant understanding of the perceptual experience of the artwork, it is predicated on an acknowledgement of the artwork's alterity from interpretation. In this way, it invites a consideration of the linguistic malleability implicit in the fleshly chiasm that binds the viewer to the artwork. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||