Global research on psychosocial factors related to food allergies and youth have increased significantly over the last decade. A plethora of countries provide literature indicating adolescents with food allergies experience social isolation, depression, anxiety, and fear. Most of the literature however favors parental perspectives with limited studies exploring adolescent subjective perspectives. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of adolescents living with food allergies; the goal was to bring awareness to the ascribed meaning of food allergies from the perspective of adolescents and the impact of living with food allergies from day-to-day. Watson’s caring science and Erikson’s psychosocial theory were guiding frameworks for the study with story theory used to guide individual semi-structured interviews (n=14) (11-14 years). Analysis of data entailed various steps congruent with Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. Four superordinate themes emerged from the data: (1) Living with Restraints: A Way of Life, (2) Managing Exposure, (3) Experiencing Stigma, and (4) Experiencing Lack of Knowledge. Results indicated adolescents living with food allergies have unique experiences that contribute to psychosocial upheavals and that traditional biological management may be too simplistic for promoting whole adolescent well-being and healthy development. Study findings may contribute to evidence-based interventions that nurture care for the whole adolescent. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2020. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_44437 |
| Contributors | Martinez, Laurie Ann (author), Opalinski, Andra (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing, Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 122 p., online resource |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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