Background and aims: The individual’s experience of living with epilepsy is often neglected with the dominant focus being upon seizure control. However, the experience of living with epilepsy is more than the seizures. Epilepsy is an illness that is understood in many different ways and the narratives the person draws from will impact their own understanding, experience and management of the condition. Based upon this gap in the literature this study sought to hear the narratives of people diagnosed with epilepsy in adulthood as told to an outsider with the hope of developing understanding, informing clinical practice and improving support for people diagnosed with epilepsy in adulthood. Methodology: A qualitative approach was chosen for this project. A purposive sample of eight individuals diagnosed with epilepsy in adulthood was recruited. Individual interviews were conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed. Narrative analysis was used to analyse the transcripts with a focus upon both what was spoken about and how it was told. Analysis and findings: Each participant is introduced individually, presenting a ‘global impression’ of their narrative. This is followed by a consideration of the similarities and differences across all participants under the shared plots of stories of: onset; changes and challenges; and meanings of epilepsy. Within the shared plot of stories of onset are the storylines of ‘affirmation’ of self; ‘continuation’ of self; biographical disruption and searching for a cause. Within the changes and challenges shared plot there are storylines of: dependency; emotional expression; ‘I try to think positively’ and ‘It’s like talking about someone else.’ Within the final shared plot of meanings of epilepsy there are storylines of: something ‘normal’; something ‘all a bit scary’; something ‘people used to get locked up for’; a ‘hidden illness’ and ‘it’s not to be spoken about.’ The narratives show that having epilepsy is a journey that has different effects on people at different times of their lives and in different contexts. The findings are discussed in relation to clinical implications; strengths and limitations of the methodology and directions for future research.

Dans un contexte de fortes pressions concurrentielles et réglementaires, les constructeurs automobiles introduisent sur le marché des véhicules dont les caractéristiques sont proches. Si les émotions suscitées par l’expérience de conduite constituent un puissant levier de différenciation, les concepteurs de voitures rattachent principalement la dimension affective aux propriétés stylistiques de leurs véhicules. Avec des innovations qui ne sont envisagées que dans une perspective fonctionnelle, les constructeurs proposent ainsi à leurs clients des prestations similaires, sans tenir compte des facteurs relationnels sous-jacents à l’utilisation d’un véhicule. Pourtant, la littérature met en avant l’importance de la dimension émotionnelle des relations sociales, qui représente selon nous une opportunité pour le Groupe Renault de se différencier, en proposant une nouvelle expérience de conduite orientée sur les interactions inter-conducteurs. Nous avons commencé notre travail par un premier terrain d’observation, dont l’objectif a été de déterminer les conditions et les leviers permettant l’établissement d’une relation entre les usagers de la route. Sur la base des premiers résultats valorisant la perception mutuelle de deux conducteurs, nous avons réalisé une expérimentation dite minimaliste comparant deux modalités de perception, appelées information perceptive et activité perceptive, dans le cadre d’une action collaborative. Cette étude souligne le rôle crucial de la dynamique interpersonnelle sur les mécanismes de la compréhension sociale : les résultats montrent l’intérêt, d’un point de vue émotionnel, d’accéder à ce à quoi l’autre est attentif. Nous nous sommes ensuite inspirés de ces résultats pour designer un dispositif de perception et d’interaction et étudier son rôle dans l’apparition d’émotions positives lors de la conduite sur route. Par le biais d’une expérimentation sur simulateur, nous avons pu faire émerger un nouveau type d’expérience de conduite résultant de la manipulation de ce dispositif. Cette thèse, sur la base d’un principe théorique mis à l’épreuve dans une expérimentation de terrain impliquant les usagers de la route, suit un processus itératif propre à une démarche de recherche-projet. Elle s’appuie sur une réalisation conceptuelle qui n’est pas une finalité mais un préalable. Elle propose des pistes de conceptions pour le design d’une nouvelle fonctionnalité intégrée dans le véhicule, tirant parti du contexte social de la conduite pour susciter des émotions positives entre conducteurs. / In a context of strong competition and regulatory pressures, the vehicles on the market share common characteristics. Even though emotions elicited by the driving experience are a powerful lever for differentiation, manufacturers mainly attach the affective dimension to the stylistic properties of their vehicles. They only consider innovations in a functional perspective and offer their customers similar services without regarding the relational factor underlying the use of a vehicle. However, the literature highlights the importance of the emotional dimension of social relations, which in our opinion represents an opportunity for the Renault Group to differentiate itself by proposing a new driving experience based on interactions between drivers. We began our work with an observation field. Our purpose was to determine the conditions and levers establishing a relationship between road users. On the basis of the first results valuing the mutual perception of two drivers, we carried out a minimalist experiment comparing two modes of perception, namely the perceptive information and theperceptual activity, within the framework of a collaborative action. This study emphasizes the crucial role of interpersonal dynamics on the mechanisms of social understanding: the results show the interest, from an emotional point of view, of accessing to what the other is attentive to. We then used these results to design a device for perception and interaction purposes and we studied its role in the emergence of positive emotions when driving. Through a simulator experiment, we have been able to bring out a new type of driving experience resulting from the manipulation of this device. This thesis is based on a theoretical principle put to the test in a field experiment involving road users. We follow an iterative process specific to a research-project approach. We propose a conceptual realization that is not a purpose but a prerequisite. Based on the fact that driving is in itself a social interaction, we suggest ideas for the design of a new feature integrated into the vehicle which arouses positive emotions between drivers.