Дисертації з теми "Description of lived experience"

Transcultural migration is a growing phenomenon, yet research on the lived experience of individuals who willfully leave the security and comfort of their home nation and socio-cultural support to migrate alone as adults to a foreign nation where they do not have citizenship, do not look like the locals, and do not share the local mother tongue had not been previously researched. Marcia’s (2002) work on identity exploration and May’s existential psychological works (e.g., 1953), particularly his notion of “the stages in consciousness of self” (p. 100), served as major theoretical foundations of this research. Giorgi’s (2009a) descriptive phenomenological psychological method was used, as it aligns with the qualitative and existential nature of this topic. I interviewed three transcultural migrants and analyzed the data sets with imaginative variations to yield an essential psychological structure that describes the phenomenon. Fourteen constituents were identified: the presence of a call to adventure, an urge to defy the sense of confinement or frustration, an appetite to develop one’s potential for action in the world, indefinite and flexible migration plans, an imagined or desired horizon as the destination, commitment depending on the passion for and pursuit of growth and challenges, identity reflections on being different, a sense of extra effort or work, constant revival of earlier psycho-social crises, questioning traditional cultural boundaries, integrating cultural experiences into cultural identity and orientation, rebellion against cultural judgment-based interactions, cultural flexibility through experiential understanding, and heightened awareness of global, local, and identity politics. These findings support the existing literature emphasizing migrants’ openness to experience and interest in developing personal potential (Madison, 2009), their sense of extra effort (Moreau et al., 2009), and a pluralistic sense of political and socio-cultural identity (e.g., Ortega, 2016). In addition, the present findings challenge preconceived notions of culture, suggesting that concepts of cultural orientation, rather than racial/ethnic identity, and cultural humility in place of cultural competency have greater functional applications to the transcultural phenomenon. Some clinical, educational, socio-cultural, and political implications are presented. Future studies are encouraged to examine various transcultural possibilities.

Trauma is ubiquitous in our society, taking a costly toll on the physical and psychological well-being of individuals across all social strata, and creating an ever-increasing need for better understanding of how to help the victim survivors. The purpose of this current study addresses an aspect of that need for understanding by examining the lived experiences of clinicians who have learned about trauma and who are addressing trauma survivors’ needs by acting as supervisors for other clinicians. This qualitative, phenomenologically oriented study used van Manen’s (1990) four lived existentials, Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 2005) bio-ecological model of human development, and existing trauma literature as its base. Historically, basic trauma education has not been provided to master’s or doctoral level students in counselor education programs. The rapidly expanding base of trauma literature has referenced knowledgeable, competent supervision as a necessity for therapists working with traumatized clients, yet little has been written about those supervisors, how they are trained and educated, and their lived experience in the process of becoming competent trauma supervisors

For this study, eight clinicians who have been supervising other clinicians who work with adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse were interviewed. The results were summarized into five themes that focused on the ubiquity of trauma, the “trial by fire” learning that was required to become knowledgeable, the rise to supervisory roles for which participants were sometimes unprepared, what they needed but didn’t get, and what they deem necessary to support them in their work. The author suggests ways in which the field of counselor education could be enhanced to better support supervisors in addressing the needs of their supervisees, and those of their traumatized clients.

Loneliness is a human experience that often influences the individual’s mood, perception, self-concept, relationship, and physical heath. The existing body of research on loneliness often associates loneliness with a mental illness (e.g., anxiety or depression) and/or a cognitive deficit. Moreover, although, researchers have identified different types of loneliness, there is limited research on the experience of profound loneliness while in the company of another person with whom one is in a close relationship. Therefore, this study was framed to contribute information in the field by exploring the meaning of this particular type of loneliness as a lived experience. The question this research sought to answer through narrative inquiry was: “What is the meaning of participants’ experience of loneliness while in the company of another person with whom they were in a close relationship?”

The current study examined oral narratives of adult participants. Five participants were recruited and interviewed. The transcribed data was analyzed following Gee’s (1991) structural analysis of oral narrative. Through analysis of the narrative data this study aimed to gain an understanding of subjective, psychological meanings of this particular loneliness experience.

The results of the analysis showed that participants, in relationship with another, characterized as close but not experienced as intimate, was retrospectively experienced as loneliness and was lived with a sense of profound hopelessness in a multidimensional manner, which implied the participant’s desired ideals for intimate relationship.

Many factors appear to influence the loneliness experience while in the company of a close other for adults, including the individual’s desire to avoid experiencing pain and loss. The findings indicate that increasing the individual’s awareness of their multidimensional experience through non-pathologizing reflection in a clinical context could allow him or her to reach a deeper understanding of the experience.

The study of hatred is a historical one that has generated multiple explanations theorizing the nature and origin of this construct. Current theories suggest hate is a critical factor in the manifestations of the world's atrocities, such as terrorism, massacres, and genocide, however no single universal definition of the construct exists. Additionally, there is a paucity of research specific to the construct of hate or documentation of the specific factors that contribute to its development. This research explores the experience of hate using a phenomenological method of inquiry so that a deeper understanding of the "lived experience" of hate can be achieved. Individuals who self-identify as experiencing hate from the perspective of the hater, offer descriptions of the intrapersonal processes, specifically the underlying emotions, cognitions, and physiological responses, that occur when they are or have been in the throes of hatred. Participants identify hate as an emotion, one unlike any they had ever experienced before and one that is a combination of several emotions. Although hate is defined as an emotion, participants identify cognitive and physical changes that accompanied their experience of hate, implying that hate is more than just emotion, though often described as such by laypersons. Factors that led participants to name their experience as hate versus some other experience, along with the critical components of hate are described. These descriptions distinguish hate from anger, dislike and aversion. Positive aspects of hate, as well reflections for transforming hate are also included. Limitations of the study and recommendations for future research are discussed.

The purpose of this study was to explore the noncore secondary teachers' lived experience with Georgia's Teacher Keys Effectiveness System (TKES) evaluative feedback. This descriptive phenomenological study examined Georgia's noncore teachers' use of evaluative feedback from TKES to inform and impact classroom effectiveness. The essence of the experience of receiving evaluative feedback is revealed through in depth interviews with 30 noncore secondary teachers from three districts in Georgia.

The findings in this study suggest that TKES evaluative feedback has the potential to support a positive change in the noncore classroom provided appropriate time and resources are dedicated to implementing the evaluative process with fidelity. Traits of effective feedback that resonate throughout the literature review and study findings are the need for feedback to be specific, timely, ongoing, and linked to professional development. The need in the noncore classroom for teachers to receive content-specific feedback was uncovered. Additionally, the need to build additional time and resources into the school year to ensure evaluative feedback has the potential to accomplish the goal of teacher growth and become a positive part of the teaching profession was uncovered. The findings of this study allow an opportunity for the voice of the noncore teachers' experience with TKES evaluative feedback to be heard, generating a pathway to improved feedback and growth in their classroom.