scholarly journals Paradoxical and powerful: Volunteers’ experiences of befriending people with dementia

Dementia ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (7) ◽  
pp. 821-839 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diane E Greenwood ◽  
Carolyn Gordon ◽  
Claire Pavlou ◽  
Jessica V Bolton
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Human Experience ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Personal Learning ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Power Equality ◽  
The Relationship

This qualitative UK study explored the lived experiences of volunteer befrienders to people with dementia, using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine befrienders aged between 25 and 66 years. The relationship that developed between befriender and befriendee was at the heart of befrienders’ experiences. It comprised numerous paradoxical processes that generated issues of power, equality and boundaries, characterising befriending as a complex and unique phenomenon. Befriending was expressed as a deeply personal and human experience, often with emotional power and profound meaning. Befrienders’ personal learning included seeing past dementia stereotypes, challenging their own assumptions and boundaries, and reflecting on love, life and humanness. Dissemination of these findings could help to challenge the stigma around dementia, and enhance recruitment and support of dementia befrienders. Future research should consider befriendee experiences of the relationship, additional measures of befriending effectiveness, and exploration of befriender attrition and support.

scholarly journals Exploring the Lived Experience of People with Dementia Through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Johnson
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experience ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Analytic Process ◽  
Moderate Dementia ◽  
Negative Perceptions

Dementia is arguably one of the biggest challenges facing society today, impacting millions of people worldwide. Nonetheless, there is only a relatively small body of research exploring what it is like to live with dementia from the perspectives of people who have this condition. This is partly because of the (implicit or explicit) belief that people with dementia lack insight into their condition and cannot talk about their experiences clearly. In this article, I argue that such beliefs are typically both erroneous and unhelpful, and that there is great value in seeking to illuminate the lived experiences of people with dementia. I present an interpretative phenomenological analysis of data from semi-structured interviews with six participants who had moderate dementia. I elicit five themes from this analytic process, and discuss the three most prominent here: awareness and understanding of dementia, clarity and confusion, and social support and relationships. I mobilise these themes to narrate the lived experiences of people with dementia, demonstrating their awareness both of the difficulties presented by dementia and of the negative perceptions of others.

scholarly journals Identity in transition: an interpretative phenomenological analysis of international humanitarian workers’ experiences of returning home

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilia Marie Wersig ◽  
Kevin Wilson-Smith
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Moral Values ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Aid Workers ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Work Settings ◽  
Returning Home ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Humanitarian Work

AbstractThis interpretative phenomenological analysis explores aid workers’ understanding of identity and belonging through the transition from working in humanitarian aid to returning home. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 participants who had returned to the UK after working in recently founded non-governmental organisations in Northern France between 2016 and 2019. Analysis of interview data identified four superordinate themes: (1) shared humanitarian identity, (2) limits and borders, (3) holding on to humanitarian identity and (4) redefining belonging and identity. Aid workers’ belonging in humanitarian work settings is rooted in shared moral values and being able to fulfil a clearly defined role. Upon returning, aid workers struggled to reintegrate, manifesting as denial of having left humanitarian work, re-creation of the social setting and moral demarcation. Participants formed a new sense of belonging through redefining their social in-group. The study sheds light on a previously unexplored area of research, specifically characterised through the closeness of the international humanitarian setting and participants’ homes. Findings suggest organisations can assist aid workers’ re-entry by supporting professional distance in the field, and through opportunities that allow to sustain moral values post-mission. Future research should focus on the role of peer support in the re-entry process and the re-entry experiences of aid workers returning from comparable settings further afield (e.g. Greece).

scholarly journals A qualitative study of the shared experience of humour between people living with dementia and their partners

Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 1794-1810
Author(s):  
Helen Hickman ◽  
Chris Clarke ◽  
Emma Wolverson
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Emotional Experience ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Relationship Strength ◽  
Social And Emotional ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Care Partners ◽  
Person With Dementia

Humour is a complex social and emotional experience which could constitute a positive resource for people endeavouring to live well with dementia. However, little is currently known about the shared use and value of humour in dyads where one person has dementia. The purpose of this study was therefore to explore how people with dementia and their care-partners experience, use and draw meaning from humour in relation to their shared experiences of dementia and their ongoing relationships. Ten participant dyads (the person with dementia and their spousal partner) took part in joint semi-structured interviews. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis revealed eight subthemes that were subsumed under three super-ordinate themes: ‘Humour Has Always Been There (and Always Will Be)’; ‘Withstanding Dementia’ and ‘Renewing the Value of Humour in Dementia’. Overall, the findings suggest that humour, in different forms, can represent a salient and enduring relationship strength that helps dyads maintain well-being and couplehood by providing a buffer against stressors associated with dementia. The findings highlight the potential value of integrating a dyadic perspective with strengths-based approaches in future research into how people live well with dementia.

Exploring the relevancy of random and scheduled alcohol breathalyser testing in high-risk jobs within safety-sensitive work settings

2021 ◽  
Vol 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vusi Mthimkhulu ◽  
Hugo D. Van der Walt
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Qualitative Method ◽  
Alcohol Intoxication ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Ongoing Debate ◽  
Work Settings ◽  
Value Add ◽  
Viable Method

Orientation: Workplace testing is seen as a viable method in monitoring alcohol intoxication in the workplace. This article explored lived experiences of random and scheduled alcohol breathalyser testing to gain insights into meaning and understanding of the phenomenon under study.Research purpose: Random and scheduled testing are preferred techniques of assessing intoxication in the workplace. This article set to gain insights into whether behaviour can have an influence on the effectiveness of random and scheduled testing. The information can contribute to the ongoing debate on the efficacy of workplace testing and lays groundwork for future studies.Motivation for the study: Emergent data seem to suggest that the success of workplace testing in preventing alcohol and substance use in the workplace is indecisive.Research approach/design and method: A qualitative method was employed to collect data from eight alcohol-consuming individuals who performed jobs considered safety-sensitive through semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed through the application of an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).Main findings: Findings revealed incidents of alcohol intoxication within the workplace in spite of random and scheduled testing in place. There seems to be a disregard for rules that prohibit intoxication in the workplace. Money bribes seem to enable cheating on testing in the workplace. Behaviour undercuts the goal of an alcohol-free workplace.Practical implications: Behaviour stemming from on-site intoxication and cheating on alcohol tests hinders on the goal of attaining an alcohol-free workplace.Contribution/value-add: The analysis of behaviour could contribute to the ongoing debate regarding the efficacy of workplace testing.

Experiencing Responsive Technology in a Mixed Work: Interactive music as embodied and situated activity

2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 418-427
Author(s):  
Anna Einarsson
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Meaning Making ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Cultural Dimensions ◽  
The Self ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Interactive Music ◽  
Sensorimotor Interaction ◽  
The Relationship

How is performing with responsive technology in a mixed work experienced by performers, and how may the notion of embodied cognition further our understanding of this interaction? These questions are addressed here analysing accounts from singers performing the author’s mixed work Metamorphoses (2015). Combining semi-structured interviews and inspiration from Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, questions concerning the ‘self’ when listening, singing, moving and relating to fellow musicians, as well as the relationship towards the computer, are explored. The results include a notion of the computer as neither separated nor detached but both, and highlight the importance of the situation, including not only the here and now but also social and cultural dimensions. The discussion emphasises the role of sensorimotor interaction and bodily experience in human meaning-making.

An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis exploring how psychiatrists conceptualise conduct disorder and experience making the diagnosis

2020 ◽  
pp. 135910452096451
Author(s):  
Jessica Amy Staniford ◽  
Matthew Lister
Keyword(s):  
Conduct Disorder ◽  
Reflective Practice ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Severe Problem ◽  
The Way

The way professionals conceptualise CD likely impacts the identity of children given the diagnosis, yet how psychiatrists conceptualise CD, and experience making the diagnosis, is under-researched. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis explored how psychiatrists conceptualise CD and experience making the diagnosis. Semi-structured interviews captured participants’ lived experiences and associated meanings. Four superordinate themes emerged: ‘Parents and professionals are overwhelmed by their struggles with CD’; ‘What is CD? Uncertainty regarding the cause, but clarity that it is a severe problem’; ‘CD as a controversial construct’; and ‘Whose issue is it anyway? Battles with blame and responsibility’. The emerging problem-saturated narrative is discussed. Clinical implications include increased training, reflective practice and using a formulation-based approach.

On-Time Maturation in Female Adolescent Ballet Dancers: Learning From Lived Experiences

2021 ◽  
pp. 027243162110367
Author(s):  
Siobhan B. Mitchell ◽  
Anne M. Haase ◽  
Sean P. Cumming
Keyword(s):  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Female Adolescent ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Ballet Dancers ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Early Maturing ◽  
Fitting In ◽  
Pubertal Transition

This study employed semi-structured interviews and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore experiences of on-time maturation in nine adolescent ballet dancers from across three vocational ballet schools in the United Kingdom. Two themes were identified as central to their experiences: ‘A right and a wrong way to grow’, and fitting in and moving forward. Instead of perceiving themselves as ‘average’ and experiencing a relatively easy pubertal transition, on-time dancers described unique challenges associated with a fluctuation between fitting in and not fitting in within their social context. The implications of on-time maturation in this context are complex and do not appear to follow the same trajectory as early maturing ballet dancers nor on-time non-dancers.

scholarly journals Caring for a Dying Partner: The Male Experience

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Judd ◽  
Helen Guy ◽  
Ruth A. Howard
Keyword(s):  
Emotional Support ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Help Seeking ◽  
Terminal Illness ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Conflicting Demands ◽  
Seeking Help ◽  
Male Experience

Objective: Caring for someone close who is dying, such as a spouse, is an emotive experience; however, there is little research examining the phenomenon of caregiving for a spouse at the end of life and of men’s experiences specifically. Existing literature suggests that men who are providing care are less likely to seek help than women, especially psychological and emotional support for themselves. The aim of the current study was to explore the lived experiences of men caring for a dying spouse or partner and their help-seeking for themselves during this time. Methods: Eight semi-structured interviews were conducted with men caring for their partner, who was receiving palliative care. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Three superordinate themes emerged from the data, “Illness Questions Everything,” “Constructing the Caring Role,” and “Help-Seeking at the Limit.” The arrival of a terminal illness into a partnership is traumatic, and while it can deepen relationships, it can also create distance. The carer role has conflicting demands and carers need to make sense of their experience in order for the carer role to be constructed as a source of purpose or meaning. Finally, the idea of seeking help for oneself as a carer during this time is seen as “incompatible,” unmanageable, and can only be considered if constructed as a “last resort.” Significance of Results: Men care too; however, they can feel confused by this role and unsure as to how this fits with their identity as a man. They make sense of this by identifying as a partner whose “duty” or “responsibility” is to provide care. Although this is an understandable stance, it puts them at risk of further emotional, psychological, and physiological difficulties if their own needs are not met. Men need to be supported during this time and their caring qualities need to be destigmatized and demystified so that they can feel more able to identify with the role and look after themselves while caring for their dying partner.

scholarly journals Immigrants’ Experiences on Integration While Attempting to Access the Labour Market: Implications for Social Work Practice

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 121
Author(s):  
Reidun Ims ◽  
Lennart Lorås ◽  
Ottar Ness ◽  
Linda Finlay
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Labour Market ◽  
Social Exclusion ◽  
Lived Experiences ◽  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Work Practice ◽  
Social Work Practice ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Gainful Employment

(1) Background: The challenge of immigrants and their integration into adopted countries is a key topic for the global field of social work. However, there is a paucity of research on immigrants’ lived experiences in gaining access to the labour market. Thus, this study examines how immigrants in Norway experience integration while in the process of gaining access to the labour market. The prevalent notion of integration achieved through gainful employment narrows the concept of integration and disguises the underlying marginalization and inequalities that are derived from majority- minority dividing lines. (2) Methods: Data were collected via nine qualitative semi-structured interviews with ten immigrants (one interview was with a couple) living in Norway. Data was analysed by using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. (3) Results: The results showed that the participants experienced social exclusion but accepted this as an inevitable part of being an immigrant. The participants regarded the learning of Norwegian language as the key aspect to understanding social customs and forming informal relationships with native Norwegians and important for achieving integration. Freedom and equality were also regarded as issues of great importance. (4) Conclusions: The results provide the field of social work with important insights towards informing social work practices and challenging current paradigms.

Experiences of shame for people with dementia: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

Dementia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 1896-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah Aldridge ◽  
Paul Fisher ◽  
Ken Laidlaw
Keyword(s):  
Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Early Stage ◽  
Phenomenological Analysis ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Psychological Therapies ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Control ◽  
Published Research

Studies highlight that shame can be problematic for people with early-stage dementia. However, no published research has specifically explored experiences of shame in dementia from the perspective of the individual. This study uses Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to gain an understanding of how shame is experienced and made sense of by six people with early-stage dementia. Individual, semi-structured interviews took place in participants’ homes. An in-depth analysis of the data revealed four superordinate themes implicated in shame experiences: Avoidance explains the participants’ efforts to distance themselves from shaming experiences; participants reported Negative self-perceptions including a weakening self, loss of value and meaninglessness; Relationship matters involved issues around trust, burden and past relationships and Uncertainty and loss of control highlights participants’ anxiety about losing clarity and control. Ideas are contributed for promoting non-shaming experiences for people with dementia, particularly through communication during assessment and diagnosis, and psychological therapies.

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