abstract: It is not a new idea that there may be a "silver lining" in depression for some people; that grappling with this condition has the potential to make them stronger or more capable in some way. Over the past three decades, research has proliferated on growth associated with adversity; from life-threatening illness to natural disasters, the death of a loved one, physical abuse, and numerous other forms of trauma. However, very little empirical attention has been paid to the topic of growth resulting from the process of working through psychological distress. Rather, the extant literature tends to consider conditions like depression and anxiety as unsuccessful outcomes, or failed attempts at coping. Furthermore, evidence suggests there is considerable variability in the types of growth perceived by individuals experiencing different forms of adversity. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), a qualitative research method, the current study elucidates the experience of growth associated with depression among six individuals from diverse backgrounds. The superordinate themes that emerged from the analysis include: depression as a catalyst for personal development (creative, spiritual, and intellectual); social support and connection; greater presence or engagement in life; a more adaptive and realized sense of self; feelings of gratitude and appreciation; and a recognition of the timing of depression. Each of these themes is examined in relation to participants' processes of meaning making in their experience of growth. The findings of the current study are broadly compatible with, yet qualitatively distinct from, previously identified models of adversarial growth. Implications for future research and clinical practice are discussed. / Dissertation/Thesis / Ph.D. Counseling Psychology 2014

Consequences of acquired brain injury (ABI) can be life long and complex. The majority of those who sustain an ABI are cared for by family members. Many are young adults who are cared for by parents. A systematic review highlighted that there is little in the way of research that focused on the experience of parent caregivers, particularly in the traumatic brain injury (TBI) population and in the early days of caregiving post discharge from hospital. Method A qualitative design using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used. Six participants were recruited; three from the NHS and three from Headway. Results Four superordinate themes emerged: carrying on with the parenting role; barriers to caregiving; factors that engender mastery; and the psychological, physical and social impact on parents. Conclusion The early weeks at home following discharge from hospital are exciting but exhausting and parents were ill-prepared to meet some of the challenges. Parents wanted more TBI specific services for their family members and themselves. Some experienced difficult emotions during the first few weeks at home and so there is a need for regular, on-going input that starts before discharge from hospital. This has relevance for professionals as parents should be involved in the care and decision making from the acute stage onwards as they will be the people assuming responsibility on discharge from hospital. They should be assessed early on to see what psychological or practical support must be in place before their family member leaves hospital.

Textiles are a ubiquitous facet of global culture, with the potential to become records of significant relationships, events, and stories over their lifetime. This research project investigates textiles which have been informally gathered together, and kept within the home, for their emotional or symbolic resonance. No longer used for their designed function, these textiles are saved from disposal for their ability to prompt personal and family histories and stories, in a phenomenon identified within the study as the personal textile archive. Textile design research is increasingly concerned with incorporating interdisciplinary social and cultural frameworks within its traditional research fields of technology, innovation and creativity, to frame a textile's socio-cultural relevance. This shift in the field requires the development of specific textile design research tools which are capable of producing purposeful research which analyses the material and designed properties of textiles in relation to their symbolic or affective experience, in order to understand the user-experience of a textile. Phenomenological research methods are established as tools for investigating phenomena and lived experience from a first-person perspective, which the investigation of the personally significant textiles within this study requires. A particular method, interpretative phenomenological analysis, has been specifically adapted for textile design research, and it is demonstrated within this research project that is is able to investigate and analyse the personal textile archive, producing original insights into this phenomenon. Through this application of this adaptation of interpretative phenomenological analysis, the design, affordances and craftsmanship of a textile are revealed as interweaving with its emotional, sentimental, biographical orfamily historical meaning. This is a useful and important original contribution to textile design research, and the recommendation is made that other researchers in the field will be able to utilise and further test this tool within future textile design research studies.

Historical and contemporary literature on post-abortion issues draws attention to the complexity of women’s experiences in this regard. The literature observes a vast range of potential effects of abortion on the mental health of women. This study contributes to the current understanding of post-abortion issues, by exploring women’s subjective experiences of post-abortion distress and the impact on interpersonal relationships. The relational impact is further situated in the context of its importance to psychological well-being. Four women, between the ages of 23 and 45, described their lived experiences of post-abortion distress during semi-structured interviews. Each participant gave detailed accounts of the abortion event, the difficulties experienced afterwards and the perceived impact that this kind of distress had on their lives and specifically, their relationships with others. The data was subsequently analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Twelve main themes emerged from the transcripts, each of which is discussed separately as well as in relation to other pertinent literature. The critical examination of the findings presented in this study revealed divergent aspects to those found in some of the existing literature, as well as understandings comparable with previous research. The meanings that emerged from these women’s stories revealed intense cognitive, emotional and behavioural dilemmas, all of which highlight the subjective experience of post-abortion distress as a complicated and deeply personal issue, with profound effects on their relational worlds. / Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2011. / Psychology / Unrestricted

History is replete with reports of anomalous experiences. The out-of-body experience (OBE), where the person's self and body are phenomenologically separate, is a relatively common anomalous experience, and has been a topic of scientific psychological research for over a century. OBEs have been reported to occur under a multiplicity of circumstances, however, research has mostly concentrated on OBEs occurring spontaneously, or arising under life-threatening scenarios. Much of this research has focused on either confirming the authenticity of the OBE or determining the underlying processes by which these phenomena may manifest themselves. This research agenda has been largely nomothetic in nature. Yet, traditionally, there exists a third strand of exploration - phenomenological research - which in recent times has been somewhat overlooked in this field of work. In an attempt to redress this shortcoming, I argue for the use of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as a method of qualitative investigation to address important fundamental research questions posed by the study of OBEs. The aim of this programme of work was to therefore to investigate the lived experience of having an OBE as it occurred in five different circumstances of occurrence, viz., during or near the point of sleep, during meditation, while consuming alcohol or drugs, while feeling physically or psychologically threatened, and as part of a near-death experience. A rationale for including these circumstances and discounting others is provided. To achieve this aim, five studies were conducted. Fifteen participants - three per study - were recruited to take part in recorded, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. An IPA of the data identified four main clusters of themes across the five studies. One cluster concerned the potential for the OBE to be viewed as an adaptive experience; occurring at times of personal significance and helping individuals cope with difficult life events. A second cluster highlighted the benefits and challenges that experients encountered when sharing their OBEs with other people as part of their sense-making endeavours. A third cluster of themes centred on the embodied nature of the OBE and the attributions and beliefs experients had about the perceived control and mastery they had over their OBEs. Also identified in this theme was the transactive nature of the out-of-body environments themselves, which were seen as meaningful places that facilitated experients' embodied, goal-oriented behaviours. The fourth cluster focused on the abundance of rarely discussed OBE features and the corresponding attribution experients made of some kind of meaning to certain features, many of which were bound to previously held desires and beliefs, and tied in closely with their future anticipations and expectations. The theoretical implications for all of these findings are discussed. By examining in-depth the experience and meaning of these critical life events, IPA research findings can better furnish psychologists and health care professionals with information to further appreciate and understand their clients' OBEs. In turn this may help professionals deal with any potential personality transformations or psycho-spiritual crises that may arise in the wake of an OBE occurrence.

Because college women's drinking rates now rival men's rates, the authors interviewed college women to ascertain how gender identity affected their drinking choices. Interpretative phenomenological analysis indicated that high-risk drinkers viewed their gender identity differently than did low-risk drinkers. Counseling implications are discussed.

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Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / There is a gap in our knowledge and understanding of perceptions of political activities, including the influence of education policies, by young adult Black males. There is a gap in our understanding of the formation of perceptions and attitudes. The purpose of this study is to gain a perspective of the perceptions of young adult Black male students regarding civic and political activism. By increasing our knowledge of Black students’ experiences and motivations, in relation to perception development, there could be lived experience-based pedagogy that encourages Black young adults to engage politically in a greater proportion. Additionally, such knowledge could provide insight toward being enabled to effectively react to perceived injustices and intolerant outcomes.

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