This research investigates formative and definitive lived experiences as two narrative forms - art works and writing. The research seeks to uncover the essential features of these experiences (dominated as they are by my experiences of AIDS and the after effects of war) and bring the two narratives together as a reflexive and reflective dialogue. The 'lens' of my art practice (both written and visual) is predominantly that of a landscape painter -be it 'landscape of faces' (portraits), landscapes of the human form (figurative) or the more traditional descriptions of landscape (especially deserts). Phenomenological research is a particular mode of describing and understanding the contours of lived experience. By a process of self-reflection and critical analysis this research explores various understandings of landscape so as to uncover their structure and meaning and to come to a deeper understanding of how those elements influence my art making.

Tidigare studier av kvinnoblivandet är få till antalet, utdaterade eller primärt kvantitativa och har framförallt fokuserat på marginaliserade kvinnogrupper eller studerat kvinnoblivandet med en patologisk ansats. Till min vetskap saknas kunskap om upplevelsen av kvinnoblivandet i normalgruppen. Studien syftade därför till att undersöka den upplevda erfarenheten av kvinnoblivandet idag i normalgruppen unga kvinnor i Sverige. Tio individuella, halvstrukturerade intervjuer med kvinnor (nio med kvinnligt biologiskt kön, en med manligt biologiskt kön) i åldrarna 19-22 (medel = 19,8 år), genomfördes och analyserades genom tematisk innehållsanalys med fenomenologisk ansats. Analysen resulterade i fyra teman: Blivandet, Kroppen, Känslorna och Kvinnligheten. I resultatet redogjordes för kvinnoblivandet som en komplex, aktiv process bestående av flera överlappande utvecklingsspår: psykologiskt, biologiskt, emotionellt och socialt. Individuella förutsättningar och erfarenheter (ex. biologiskt kön och uppväxtförhållanden), såväl som sociokulturella faktorer (ex. genusnormer), är av betydelse för kvinnoblivandets innehåll och för hur det upplevs. Vidare kunde konstateras att den nuvarande samhällsuppfattningen om likavärde, nedtonande av könets betydelse och förstärkande av egenvärdet har en särskilt betydande inverkan på upplevelsen av kvinnoblivandet. Kvinnoblivandet handlar främst om att utifrån egna behov och intressen forma sin tillvaro och identitet. I studien visades även att socialt stöd och könsmässig frihet bidrar till psykiskt välmående under kvinnoblivandet. / Previous studies of the transition to womanhood are few, outdated or primarily quantitative, mainly focused on marginalized groups or studied with a pathological approach. To my knowledge, the transition to womanhood in Swedish women of the majority culture has not yet been investigated. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the lived experience of the transition to womanhood of the majority culture in Sweden. Ten individual, semi-structured interviews with women (nine with female sex, one with male sex) between the ages of 19-22 (mean = 19.8 years) were conducted and analyzed by thematic content analysis with a phenomenological approach. The analysis resulted in four themes: The transition, The body, The feelings and The womanhood. The findings revealed the transition to womanhood as a complex, active process consisting of several interacting developmental areas. Individual conditions, background experiences and sociocultural factors are of importance for what the transition contains, and how it is perceived. The current social perception of equality, gender-neutrality and the importance of self-worth, have a major impact on the experience of the transition to womanhood. The transition is primarily about shaping life and identity according to one's own needs and interests. This study also showed that social support and gender freedom contributes to well-being during the transition to womanhood.

Studien undersøker studenters sorgerfaringer som fenomen. Den fokuserer levd erfaring i handlingsperspektiv og meningsperspektiv. Innledningsvis redegjøres det for foreliggende forskning om sorgerfaring. Deretter introduseres teoretiske perspektiv som anvendes i studien. Ut fra respondentenes erfaring analyseres de rom for handling og meningsdannelse som finnes på studiestedene. Studiens formål er å utvikle dypere forståelse for hva det innebærer i studenters daglige liv å erfare sorg. Studien anvender en hermeneutisk-fenomenologisk metode, inspirert av van Manen. Datainnsamlingen ble gjennomført ved semistrukturerte forskningsintervjuer med seks respondenter, to intervjusamtaler med hver med +/- fire måneders mellomrom. I intervjuingen er det lagt vekt på meningsfortetning og tolkning i samtalene. Respondentene er tre kvinner og tre menn mellom 22 og 30 år, alle studenter som har mistet foreldre eller søsken ved dødsfall. De avdøde var fra 25-60 år, relasjon til respondenter: Tre fedre, en mor og to brødre. Databearbeidingen har foregått ved lytting og gjenlytting, skriving og analysering av lydfiler og transkriberte tekster fra forskningsintervjuene. I prosessen er det analysert fram betydningsbærende elementer fra studentenes fortellinger som så er forsøkt rekontekstualisert i møte med teoretiske perspektiv. Framstillingen sikter mot å formidle en kunnskap som er kongruent med sorgerfaringen som fenomen. Resultatet presenteres først som seks fortellinger som formidler noe vesentlig ved sorgerfaringen og skaper resonans. Deretter presenteres åtte tema som har utkrystallisert seg gjennom analysen: Å være merket (1), Sårbarhet (2), Fravær (3), "Det som har skjedd, er en del av meg" (4), Å føre noe videre (5), Dødsfall kan komplisere nære relasjoner (6), Lengsel etter den reine sorgen (7), Å holde kontakt (8). For det tredje redegjøres det for studentenes opplevde rom for handling. Til sist utvikles meningstolkning i dialog mellom studenters sorgerfaring, slik den er analysert fram i studien, nyere sorgforskning og teoretiske perspektiv. Fortellingens rolle som grunnlag for mening og konstruktiv handling viser seg avgjørende.

This research explores the lived experience of encountering mortality in the palliative care context. Six counsellors included in the study had served on a Palliative Care Crisis Team in the community and/or the in-patient unit of a hospice in a mid-sized Canadian city. Conducted as a phenomenological study, all co-participants electronically or face-to-face, answered 18 questions that were generated from an initial open-ended question, and answered other clarifying questions as requested. The author also tracked the experience of the experience, of encountering mortality, by creating a Sacred Mandala––a painting that involves a particular structure, meditation practices, and journal work––and analyzed her notes as part of the data. Themes identified were: responding to the call; the realities of death; being in the know and the impact of knowing; relationships–intensity, intimacy, connection and identification; the gift of stillness; encountering mortality can be mundane; being of service; finding balance between giving enough and receiving enough; being in the face of D/death; staying awake; and living life. It was found that encountering mortality is paradoxical, and that the struggle of holding opposing forces is necessary for transformation toward wholeness but requires structured support that needs to be offered when caregivers are entering the field and throughout their careers. Support also needs to provide discipline and structure that is complex enough to encourage, contain and support participant’s expression of strong emotion, exploration and self-reflection of practice, sharing with others, and being witnessed. / Graduate / 0727 / 0357 / 0566 / susan@thebreiddals.com

The purpose of this study was to examine and document second language teachers' perceptions of their implementation of a meaning-making approach, known as the Acquisition Model, to second language instruction. Of particular focus were the concerns and strategies the second language teachers experienced when changing their pedagogical practice from mechanical to meaning making. The main research question, which guided this study, was: "What is the 'lived experience' of L2 teachers as they implement an innovative pedagogy to teach a second language?" The researcher addressed this research question through Max van Manen's (1990) six step phenomenological method, "Researching Lived Experience" and image-based research techniques (i.e., photo elicitation and reflexive photography). In addition, the researcher also created and applied an innovative data collection technique, which she called Collaborative Imagery. Findings from this study generated various implications in the areas of second language education, curricular change, teacher reflection, image-based research, and educational research.

The aim of this study is to analyse how women talk about their breasts, how their breasts affect their orientations in the world as well as how their relationship to their breasts changes throughout life. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with eight white and heterosexual cisgender women between the ages of 23-64 years old. The main theoretical frameworks for the study are phenomenology and the life schedule. The interpretational work has been conducted through thematic analysis.  The study shows how the women meet different expectations and ideals connected to their breasts throughout their lives. The heteronormative life schedule is relevant for understanding how these experiences are formed. Starting from the women´s entry into puberty and when they develop breasts, their place in the world changes. The breasts bear a strong meaning for how the women in the study construct themselves as sexual beings as well as heterosexual subjects. The meaning of the breasts is generally mirrored against the male desire. The relationship to their own breasts is formed by ideals of normative breasts which shape their experience of having breasts. The ideals are perceived as more intense during younger years, whereas age is a way of negotiating the meaning of the breasts. The empirical material show that the meaning of the breasts changes with the different stages of life but always plays a vital part in the women’s orientation and how they perceive themselves in their everyday life.

The aim of the study was to investigate and gain an in-depth understanding of the lived experience of Self-Leadership among employees in organizations in Sweden with high degree of Self-Leadership Culture (SLC). To furfill the purpose, a qualitative method was applied in the form of unstructed interviews, whith four participants, which was analysed in an IPA analysis (Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis).                The results showed three themes that consisted of Control, Alone isn´t always strong, Stop and reflect. Freedom was an overaching theme that was experienced as very important and highly valuated in Self-Leadership. Other themes were Control, where there being a need to experience self-control, while not wanting to be controlled by others. Alone isn´t always strong is a theme that is associated with the dilemma of wanting to be independent and perceived as a strong individual, while at the same time feeling a need for support and a belonging to others. The last theme was about the ability to stop and reflect, which in this essay means that the participants experienced value in finding and using strategies to enable them to take a break from a stressed work environment, to reflect, to keep motivated, and to plan ahead, which was sometimes perceived as a challenge.  The conclusion showed for example that it could be valuable if more employees were given the oppurtunity to work more freely under responsibilities, as it seems to be a factor in the success of both job satisfaction, performance and overall well-being. External control seemed to inhibit motivation. Another important aspect was the need for support and belonging to others, although this was not aways explicitly stated. Furthermore, the study showed that it would be valuable if employees were also given be the time and tools for reflection, for such things as mindfulness and stress management. / Syftet med studien var att undersöka och få fördjupad förståelse för upplevelsen av självledarskap hos anställda på organisationer i Sverige med hög grad av Self-Leadership Culture (SLC). För att uppfylla syftet, tillämpades en kvalitativ metod i form av fem ostrukturerade intervjuer, vilka analyserades genom en IPA analys (Interpretative Phenomenological analysis). Resultatet visade tre teman som bestod av Kontroll, Ensam är inte alltid stark, Stanna upp. Ett gemensamt och övergripande tema var Frihet, vilket upplevdes vara högt värderat inom självledarskapet. Kontroll innefattar i studien ett behov av att besitta egen kontroll, samtidigt som respondenterna inte ville bli kontrollerade av andra. Ensam är inte alltid stark är förknippat med dilemmat att vilja vara självständig och stark, och samtidigt uppfylla behovet av stöd och samhörighet med andra. Det sista temat handlade om att Stanna upp, vilket innebar att respondenterna behövde strategier för att kunna stanna upp i en stressad tillvaro, reflektera, bibehålla motivationen och planera framåt, vilket kunde upplevas som en utmaning. Slutsatsen visade exempelvis att det vore värdefullt om fler anställda fick möjligheten och tilliten att jobba mer fritt under ansvar, då det var en framgångsfaktor både i jobbtillfredställelse, prestanda och i välbefinnande. Yttre kontrollerande tycktes hämma motivationen. Ytterligare en viktig aspekt var behovet av stöd och tillhörighet till andra, även om inte det inte alltid uttrycks explicit. Vidare visade studien att det vore värdefullt om anställda kunde erbjudas tid och verktyg inom reflektion, såsom mindfulness och stresshantering.

Cyberbullying continues to be a rising problem facing many households. As teenagers are the primary victims of cyberbullying, it is ultimately up to victims' parents to mediate and address cyberbullying incidents. The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to explore the lived experiences of parents who had addressed and/or mediated an incident following their adolescent's cyberbullying victimization. Bandura's self-efficacy theory was the theoretical framework that guided this study. Participants were recruited using purposeful sampling. Individual semistructured telephone interviews were held with 9 participants who were parents of adolescent cyberbullying victims. Themes were generated and data were analyzed using Colaizzi's method of descriptive data analysis. This analysis involved a multistep process to inductively develop themes from participant responses. Findings revealed that participants experienced negative emotions as a result of their teens' victimization. Results further revealed that despite a lack of preparedness, participants found their efforts to intervene in the cyberbullying incident to be effective. Themes emerging from the study highlight participants' desire to raise awareness regarding cyberbullying. The impacts that the cyberbullying incident had on the parent-adolescent relationship were also documented in this study. This study provided an opportunity for participants to share their perceived self-efficacy in responding to incidents of adolescent cyberbullying. Findings from this study may be used to promote positive social change by informing various professionals of the challenges that parents face in addressing cyberbullying incidents.

Greenwashing means the advertisement of goods and services that are alleged to be of benefit to the environment, and is a phenomenon that persists as an advertising tactic in corporate marketing. Research has found that consumers are distrustful of greenwashing, as many claims of eco-friendly products have been shown to be false. This crisis of confidence recalls scandals of the past decade related to insider trading, price fixing, and lack of corporate social responsibility placing the brand equity of major corporations at risk. Given a limited understanding among corporate leaders of consumers' experiences with greenwashing, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe the essence of these experiences. Research questions explored the phenomenon of greenwashing, informed by stakeholder theory, social identity theory, consumer culture theory, and the theory of corporate social responsibility. Interview questions were distributed to a purposeful, convenience sample of 20 research participants at a U.S. Military base in Germany. Interview data were collected via e-mail, transcribed, coded using open techniques, and analyzed to identify themes or patterns. Key themes included feelings of distrust in green advertising, indifference (business as usual), betrayal, and concern for the environment. Consumers also expressed a conscious awareness that educating themselves and exercising prudence when purchasing such goods and services is the best defense against greenwashing. The findings underscored the need for theorists of consumer culture and social identity to make trust a central topic when discussing consumers' identification with brands and products. The findings of this study may contribute to positive social change by educating consumers about greenwashing, which could help empower them to demand better environmental conduct from corporations.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to understand the lived experience of adolescents who live with chronic pain. All 10 participants were between the ages of 13 and 17 and have lived with chronic pain for at least 6 months. Data sources for the study were two interviews for each participant, participant drawn depictions of their chronic pain, and researcher journaling. The person-environment-occupation model was used to frame the research design. The study found four main themes among the data: pain identity, invisible disease, occupational loss, and uphill climb to regain life. Each theme described the essence of the common experience of adolescents living with chronic pain. Occupational therapists can benefit from incorporating this knowledge base into their practice when providing intervention for individuals living with chronic pain to improve their overall quality of life and occupational performance.