Spirituality in the discipline of nursing has gained popularity over the past two decades. National
and provincial nursing associations and colleges expect nurses to be educated in providing
spiritual health assessments and interventions in order to provide holistic nursing care. There is a
paucity of research in the nursing literature on the meaning of spirituality from the perspectives
of individuals who experience chronic mental illness, specifically schizophrenia. Spirituality
remains an elusive construct, challenging psychiatric nurse educators, researchers and
practitioners in the development of nursing curricula to guide psychiatric nursing practice. The
focus of this research study was to develop a substantive theory about the experience of
spirituality among individuals living with schizophrenia using grounded theory methodology in
the tradition of Glaser and Strauss (1967). Forty semi-structured interviews and four focus
groups were conducted with 20 participants who self-reported to be diagnosed with
schizophrenia.
Findings: The substantive theory "spirituality as connection" indicates that spirituality for
persons living with schizophrenia involves a dialectical process in which one strives to be
connected to one's spiritual self (body-mind-spirit), significant others (family, friends, G o d /
Higher Power, health care professionals), community (others living with a mental illness, others
who are well, a faith community, the community in which participants lived), and nature, while
at the same time experiencing situations and incidents that promote disconnection from these
sub-themes. Strategies used by participants to achieve connection included: taking prescribed
atypical anti-psychotic medications, maintaining their health and a healthy lifestyle, use of
prayer / meditation, caring for self and others, and engaging in creative activities that added
meaning to their life experiences. Among the 17 factors contributing to connection, exemplars
are: reconnecting with one's spirit through prayer and meditation, attending drop-in centres for
persons living with a mental illness, and walking / hiking in nature. Outcomes include feeling
peaceful, love, contentment, being accepted and nurtured by others. Among the 14 factors
contributing to disconnection, exemplars are: the effect of the illness on relationships with other
people, the stigma of being in a psychiatric ward, being unemployed, and taking typical antipsychotic
medications. Outcomes include feeling powerlessness, isolation, rejection and
alienation.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/13237 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Tarko, Michel Andre |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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