Psychological Resilience of Volunteers in a South African Health Care Context: A Salutogenic Approach and Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry

Volunteering in non-Western countries, such as South Africa, is subject to poor infrastructure, lack of resources, poverty-stricken conditions and often conducted by volunteers from lower socio-economic spheres of society. Sustaining the well-being of volunteers in this context is essential in ensuring their continued capacity to volunteer. To do so, it is important to understand the psychological resilience of these volunteers and the resistance resources they employ to positively adapt to their challenging work-life circumstances. The aim of this qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore volunteers’ psychological resilience from a salutogenic perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted with eight volunteers servicing government-run hospitals. Data were analysed through phenomenological hermeneutical analysis. Findings show a characteristic work-life orientation to be at the root of volunteers’ resilience. Their work-life orientation is based on a distinct inner drive, an other-directedness and a “calling” work orientation. It is proposed that this work-life orientation enables volunteers in this study context, to cope with and positively adapt to challenging work-life circumstances and continue volunteering. The elements of their work-life orientation are presented as intrapersonal strength resources fundamental to their psychological resilience. It is suggested that organisations invest in developmental interventions that endorse and promote these intrapersonal strengths.

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The experience of adolescents who have a parent with advanced cancer: A phenomenological inquiry

Palliative & Supportive Care ◽

10.1017/s1478951514001023 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1057-1069 ◽

Cited By ~ 19

Author(s):

Farya Phillips

Keyword(s):

Advanced Cancer ◽

Healthcare Professionals ◽

Well Being ◽

Phenomenological Approach ◽

Parental Cancer ◽

Open Communication ◽

Phenomenological Inquiry ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological ◽

Semistructured Interviews ◽

Being There

AbstractObjective:Adolescents are considered the group most susceptible to negative psychosocial outcomes when faced with a parent's illness. However, there has been extremely limited research on the adolescent's adjustment to advanced parental cancer. The aim of our study was to gain understanding of the experiences of adolescents, in their own words, to gather pilot data about the needs of this population that will be valuable in developing interventions for adolescents facing parental cancer.Method:A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was applied using in-depth semistructured interviews to inquire about adolescents' experiences. Some 10 adolescents (7 males, 3 females) aged 14–17 were interviewed.Results:Four essential themes about adolescents living with a parent's advanced cancer emerged from the analysis: “life interrupted,” “being there,” “managing emotions,” and “positives prevail.” These findings underscore the significant impact an advanced cancer diagnosis can have on a family unit and suggest that the experience may also have the potential of creating opportunities for growth and well-being. Our findings reinforce previous results that advocate for the importance of family and peer support, positive attitude, and open communication when a family is coping with advanced parental cancer.Significance of results:Understanding how adolescents gain strength from their relationships with family and peers offers healthcare professionals an opportunity to have services and strategies in place to foster these relationships.

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The experiences of caregivers providing home care for terminally ill family members at the end of life: A phenomenological study in Bahrain

Clinical Nursing Studies ◽

10.5430/cns.v6n3p57 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 6 (3) ◽

pp. 57

Author(s):

Fatima Saleh ◽

Catherine S. O’Neill

Keyword(s):

Home Care ◽

Lived Experience ◽

Family Caregivers ◽

Nursing Care ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Family Members ◽

Terminally Ill ◽

Well Being ◽

Care Clinic ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological

Objective: The aim of the study was to explore the lived experience of caregivers providing home care for terminally ill family members, with the objectives of describing their experiences of caring for relatives who are terminally ill with cancer and the needs of home caregiving in Bahrain.Methods: The study adopted a Heideggerian, hermeneutic phenomenological design, with a purposive sample of eight family caregivers. Data was generated through one to one, in-depth interviews and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.Results: Three main themes emerged from the data: (1) the burden of care, (2) comforts, and (3) coping. The findings showed that the lived experience of home caregiving includes physical, emotional and financial burdens, combined with a lack of professional support. The collective experience was infused with intense emotions because of a lack of structured support, resulting in negative emotions that frequently affected the caregivers’ well-being and their ability to care for the ill person. Nevertheless, caregivers tried to maintain care and comforts for their terminally ill relative in the home. They adopted the home environment, arranged resources to ease caring and provided psychological care. Caregivers utilized three coping mechanisms, faith, personal strategies and distribution of the care responsibilities among family members.Conclusions: Caregivers were not prepared for the commitment and burdens of home care when a family member is terminally ill. A recommendation from the study findings is that training be offered on nursing care before patients discharge. In addition, a reactivation of the palliative care clinic hotline service would support family caregivers. A further recommendation is that home nursing care and hospice services be established to improve homecare services for family caregivers in Bahrain.

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Unexplored Aspects of the Meaning of Living with Chronic Heart Failure: A Phenomenological Study within the Framework of the Model of Interpersonal Relationship between the Nurse and the Person/Family Cared for

Clinical Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/1054773819898825 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 105477381989882

Author(s):

Maddi Olano-Lizarraga ◽

Jesús Martín-Martín ◽

Cristina Oroviogoicoechea ◽

Maribel Saracíbar-Razquin

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Chronic Heart Failure ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Interpersonal Relationship ◽

Well Being ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological ◽

Practice Method ◽

Conversational Interviews ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study ◽

Complicated Situation

The complicated situation experienced by chronic heart failure (CHF) patients affects their entire well-being but clinical practice continues to fail to adequately respond to their demands. The aim of this study was to understand the meaning of living with CHF from the patient’s perspective. A hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted according to Van Manen’s phenomenology of practice method. Individual conversational interviews were held with 20 outpatients with CHF. Six main themes emerged from the analysis: (1) Living with CHF involves a profound change in the person; (2) The person living with CHF has to accept their situation; (3) The person with CHF needs to feel that their life is normal and demonstrate it to others; (4) The person with CHF needs to have hope; (5) Having CHF makes the person continuously aware of the possibility of dying; (6) The person with CHF feels that it negatively influences their close environment.

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The podium illusion: a phenomenological study of the influence of social support on well-being and performance in elite para swimmers

BMC Sports Science Medicine and Rehabilitation ◽

10.1186/s13102-021-00269-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Beth Aitchison ◽

Alison B. Rushton ◽

Paul Martin ◽

Andrew Soundy ◽

Nicola R. Heneghan

Keyword(s):

Social Support ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Well Being ◽

Research Quality ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

New Model ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological ◽

And Performance ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study ◽

Fourth Theme

Abstract Background The value of social support in enhancing performance is well established in non-impaired and sub-international level athletes with impairments. Despite this, no research to date has explored the experiences of social support in elite para-athletes. The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of social support in elite British para-swimmers and the influence on their wellbeing and performance. Methods A hermeneutic phenomenological study involving semi-structured interviews was undertaken with 8 elite British para-swimmers (3 male, 5 female, mean age 24.9 years). Participants represented 5 para-swimming classes and all 10 of the International Paralympic Committee impairment categories. Data were analysed following a modified version of the Framework Method. Research quality and trustworthiness were ensured through employing techniques including data triangulation, member checking and reflexivity. Results Five themes and 11 sub-themes were generated. The five themes were: ‘the coach-athlete relationship’, ‘team bond’, ‘tangible aid’, ‘The Podium Illusion’ and ‘British para-swimming’. The overall findings and the magnitude of support mentioned in the fourth theme led to the development of a new model called ‘The Podium Illusion’ which reflects the magnitude of support that is available to elite para-swimmers to help maximise their performance and wellbeing. Conclusion Social support is essential for athlete wellbeing and performance. Findings underpin a new model, ‘The Podium Illusion’.

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Leader Readiness in a Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous Business Environment

Journal of Social Change ◽

10.5590/josc.2020.12.1.02 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Karen Rimita ◽

Stephanie N Hoon ◽

Robert Levasseur

Keyword(s):

Phenomenological Study ◽

Well Being ◽

Business Environment ◽

Organizational Sustainability ◽

Complexity Leadership ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological ◽

Complexity Leadership Theory ◽

Turbulent Environments ◽

Corporate Executives ◽

Business Environments

Organizational leaders in the 21st century face relentless changes in the business environments in which they operate. The diversity, intensity, and rapidity of these changes create volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), which challenge leaders on ways to lead effectively as existing methods prove inadequate. The problem in this study was that of inadequate leader preparedness to lead and win in VUCA environments. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 15 Nigerian corporate executives about their VUCA business environment and the strategies they employed for VUCA-readiness and success using open-ended interview questions. The conceptual framework guiding this study was a combination of chaos theory and complexity leadership theory. Through Ricoeur’s theory of interpretation, member checking, and contextual triangulation, 11 key themes emerged to highlight key coping and readiness strategies for leaders operating in turbulent environments. The key recommendations for practice are to inculcate VUCA-readiness and organizational resilience principles in line with this study’s findings. The study findings may contribute to positive social change in providing strategies for organizational sustainability, firm success, business readiness, responsive leadership, and enhanced employee well-being.

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“When I’m not angry I am anxious”: The lived experiences of individuals in a relationship with a non-help-seeking problem gambler—A hermeneutic phenomenological study

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships ◽

10.1177/0265407520928581 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 37 (8-9) ◽

pp. 2529-2550 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ben J. Riley ◽

Sharon J. Lawn ◽

Beth R. Crisp ◽

Malcolm W. Battersby

Keyword(s):

Help Seeking ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Social Activity ◽

Well Being ◽

Gambling Behavior ◽

Problem Gambler ◽

Health Issues ◽

Negative Effects ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological ◽

Problem Gamblers

Although the negative effects of problem gambling (PG) are well-documented in respect of gamblers themselves, less research has focused on the experiences of their partners, particularly in situations where the gambler is not help-seeking. Data were drawn from 15 in-depth interviews of partners living with a non-help-seeking problem gambler. Through a hermeneutical-phenomenological analysis, nine central themes emerged: social activity, realization, role conflict, stigma, denial, health issues, disconnectedness, hypervigilance, and security. Findings indicated that living with a non-help-seeking PG partner was characterized by chronic worry, exhaustion, relationship conflict, and an overwhelming sense of isolation. Partners found it exceedingly difficult to reliably detect their partners’ gambling behavior, resulting in chronic hypervigilance, and were reluctant to seek help due to stigma. There is a need for programs that provide both guidance for partners to help protect their well-being and evidence-based strategies to help motivate non-help-seeking problem gamblers to acknowledge their problem and seek help.

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Impact of critical illness news on the family: hermeneutic phenomenological study

Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem ◽

10.1590/0034-7167-2016-0163 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 170-177 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Anabela Pereira Mendes

Keyword(s):

Critical Illness ◽

Phenomenological Study ◽

Family Members ◽

Well Being ◽

Phenomenological Approach ◽

Daily Lives ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological ◽

The Family ◽

The Impact ◽

Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study

ABSTRACT Objective: Understand the impact of critical-illness news on the experience of family members at an Intensive Care Unit. Method: Phenomenological approach according to Van Manen's method. Open interviews were held with 21 family members. From analysis and interpretation of the data, three essential themes were identified: the unexpected; the pronouncement of death; and the impact on self-caring within the family. The study complied with the ethical principles inherent to research involving humans. Results: The unexpected news and death of the sick person influence the well-being and self-care of family members, affecting their ability for analysis and decision making. It was observed that the family experiences the news with suffering, mainly due to the anticipation arising from the events. Final considerations: The humanity of nurses was revealed in response to the needs of the family. In view of the requirements for information, it was verified that the information transmitted allowed them to become aware of themselves, to become empowered in their daily lives and to alleviate the emotional burden experienced.

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Psychological Resilience Provides No Independent Protection From Suicidal Risk

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000364 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 37 (2) ◽

pp. 130-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Danica W. Y. Liu ◽

A. Kate Fairweather-Schmidt ◽

Richard Burns ◽

Rachel M. Roberts ◽

Kaarin J. Anstey

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Well Being ◽

Current Status ◽

Psychological Resilience ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Life Project ◽

Resilience Factors ◽

First Time

Abstract. Background: Little is known about the role of resilience in the likelihood of suicidal ideation (SI) over time. Aims: We examined the association between resilience and SI in a young-adult cohort over 4 years. Our objectives were to determine whether resilience was associated with SI at follow-up or, conversely, whether SI was associated with lowered resilience at follow-up. Method: Participants were selected from the Personality and Total Health (PATH) Through Life Project from Canberra and Queanbeyan, Australia, aged 28–32 years at the first time point and 32–36 at the second. Multinomial, linear, and binary regression analyses explored the association between resilience and SI over two time points. Models were adjusted for suicidality risk factors. Results: While unadjusted analyses identified associations between resilience and SI, these effects were fully explained by the inclusion of other suicidality risk factors. Conclusion: Despite strong cross-sectional associations, resilience and SI appear to be unrelated in a longitudinal context, once risk/resilience factors are controlled for. As independent indicators of psychological well-being, suicidality and resilience are essential if current status is to be captured. However, the addition of other factors (e.g., support, mastery) makes this association tenuous. Consequently, resilience per se may not be protective of SI.

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