WorldWideScience

Sample records for life perspective narratives

  1. The emotional impact of loss narratives: event severity and narrative perspectives.

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    Habermas, Tilmann; Diel, Verena

    2010-06-01

    Out of the complex influences of event, narrative and listener characteristics on narrative emotions, this paper focuses on event severity, narrative perspectives, mood, and dispositions for emotion regulation and empathy. Event severity and perspective representation were systematically varied in sad autobiographical narratives to study their influence on quantity and quality of readers' emotional response. Each of three stories were manipulated to contain elaborated perspectives, only the past protagonists' perspective (dramatic narration), and very little perspectives at all (impersonal narration). We predicted that event severity influences the quantity of emotional response, while degree of perspective representation influences plausibility and whether emotional responses are sympathetic or interactional, that is, directed against the narrator. Hypotheses were confirmed except for plausibility, and perspective representation had an effect only on anger against and dislike of the narrator. In a second study, impersonal narration evoked anger at and negative evaluations of the narrator which were related to blaming the narrator for showing too little emotional involvement. The generalizability of findings across emotions and implications for sharing of emotions in everyday and clinical settings are discussed.

  2. Does narrative perspective influence readers’ perspective-taking? An empirical study on free indirect discourse, psycho-narration and first-person narration

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    Susanna Salem

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available It is often assumed that narrating a story from the protagonist’s perspective increases the readers’ inclination to take over this perspective. In a questionnaire study, we examined to which degree different textual modes of narration (a increase the degree to which the reader can generally relate to the protagonist (what we will call 'relatedness', (b make the reader prone to imagine the scene from the 'spatial point-of-view 'of the protagonist, and (c enhance the psychological perspective-taking of the reader, measured as 'identification 'with the protagonist. We employed two different types of texts—one literary and one non-literary—and tested them in four different modes of narration: free indirect discourse, psycho-narration, first-person narration and external focalization. In terms of the 'relatedness 'between the reader and protagonist and 'spatial perspective-taking 'the largest differences (descriptively occurred between external focalization and psycho-narration ('p'& .05 for 'relatedness', 'p'& .05 for 'spatial perspective-taking' and between external focalization and first-person narration ('p'& .05 for 'relatedness', for 'spatial perspective-taking p'& .1. 'Identification', measured with items from a questionnaire on reading experience (Appel et al. 2002, was highest for first-person narration. Here, the difference between first-person narration and external focalization turned out significant only after including dispositional empathy, thematic interest for the text and attention during reading as covariates. Results for the other two perspective-taking measures were unaffected by the inclusion of the same covariates. In conclusion, our data show that first-person and psycho-narration increased the tendency to take over the perspective of the protagonist, but FID did not.   This article is part of the special collection: Perspective Taking

  3. A life-course perspective on stigma-handling: resilience in persons of restricted growth narrated in life histories.

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    Schanke, Anne-Kristine; Thorsen, Kirsten

    2014-01-01

    The aim of the study is to explore how personal and contextual experiences throughout the life course are recollected as having influenced the development of stigma-handling strategies among people associated with disability and stigma. The article describes the development of stigma handling among ageing persons of restricted growth in order to avert negative effects, develop resilience, strengthen the self and support a positive identity. Qualitative retrospective interviews were conducted with ten persons - seven women and three men aged between 45 and 65 years - of short stature. Their narratives are analysed from a life-course perspective and the results presented under two main themes: the development of strategies during different stages of life, and the use of general non-stage-bound strategies. The study shows how stigma-handling has evolved from childhood to become, by adult years, refined, contextualised strategies demonstrating human resilience. The analysis documents the impact of human agency on personal lives and the subjects' efforts and strengths in handling adversity. The results demonstrate how the "insider perspective" reveals the individual's resources, resilience and strategies and provides an important perspective for the rehabilitation setting. Implications for Rehabilitation The study document human agency, resilience and strength in a life course perspective among people of restricted growth faced with stigmatization. The efforts and stigma handling strategies developed during the life course, such as withdrawal, humour, ignoring and positive thinking, are important tools to be recognized with relevance for other patient groups. The "insider perspective" revealing the potentialities and strength of human agency and resilience, should be further explored within the field of rehabilitation.

  4. Perspective taking in children's narratives about jealousy.

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    Aldrich, Naomi J; Tenenbaum, Harriet R; Brooks, Patricia J; Harrison, Karine; Sines, Jennie

    2011-03-01

    This study explored relationships between perspective-taking, emotion understanding, and children's narrative abilities. Younger (23 5-/6-year-olds) and older (24 7-/8-year-olds) children generated fictional narratives, using a wordless picture book, about a frog experiencing jealousy. Children's emotion understanding was assessed through a standardized test of emotion comprehension and their ability to convey the jealousy theme of the story. Perspective-taking ability was assessed with respect to children's use of narrative evaluation (i.e., narrative coherence, mental state language, supplementary evaluative speech, use of subjective language, and placement of emotion expression). Older children scored higher than younger children on emotion comprehension and on understanding the story's complex emotional theme, including the ability to identify a rival. They were more advanced in perspective-taking abilities, and selectively used emotion expressions to highlight story episodes. Subjective perspective taking and narrative coherence were predictive of children's elaboration of the jealousy theme. Use of supplementary evaluative speech, in turn, was predictive of both subjective perspective taking and narrative coherence. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

  5. Theoretical perspectives on narrative inquiry.

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    Emden, C

    1998-04-01

    Narrative inquiry is gaining momentum in the field of nursing. As a research approach it does not have any single heritage of methodology and its practitioners draw upon diverse sources of influence. Central to all narrative inquiry however, is attention to the potential of stories to give meaning to people's lives, and the treatment of data as stories. This is the first of two papers on the topic and addresses the theoretical influences upon a particular narrative inquiry into nursing scholars and scholarship. The second paper, Conducting a narrative analysis, describes the actual narrative analysis as it was conducted in this same study. Together, the papers provide sufficient detail for others wishing to pursue a similar approach to do so, or to develop the ideas and procedures according to their own way of thinking. Within this first theoretical paper, perspectives from Jerome Bruner (1987) and Wade Roof (1993) are outlined. These relate especially to the notion of stories as 'imaginative constructions' and as 'cultural narratives' and as such, highlight the profound importance of stories as being individually and culturally meaningful. As well, perspectives on narrative inquiry from nursing literature are highlighted. Narrative inquiry in this instance lies within the broader context of phenomenology.

  6. Narrative means to manage responsibility in life narratives across adolescence.

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    De Silveira, Cybèle; Habermas, Tilmann

    2011-01-01

    Adolescence is a passage from dependence to adult responsibility. Alongside identity development, social-cognitive development, and the ability to construct a life story, adolescents become increasingly aware of both their potential responsibility in an expanded sphere of life and of complex, contextual influences on their lives. This was partially tested in a cross-sectional study, both in terms of linguistic means and content expressed in life narratives. Indicators were defined for narrative agency, grading of responsibility, serendipity, and turning points, and tested for age differences in relative frequencies in 102 life narratives from age groups of 8, 12, 16, and 20 years, balanced for gender. Narrative grading of responsibility, serendipity, and turning points increased throughout adolescence. The relative frequency of narrative agency, in contrast, remained constant across age groups. Results are interpreted in the context of adolescent development of narrative identity.

  7. Narrative serious game mechanics (NSGM) - insights into the narrative-pedagogical mechanism

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    Lim, T.; Louchart, S.; Suttie, N.; Baalsrud Hauge, J.; Stanescu, I.A.; Ortiz, I.M.; Moreno-Ger, P.; Bellotti, F.; Brandao Carvalho, M.; Earp, J.; Ott, M.; Arnab, S.; Berta, R.; Göbel, S.; Wiemeyer, J.

    2014-01-01

    Narratives are used to construct and deconstruct the time and space of events. In games, as in real life, narratives add layers of meaning and engage players by enhancing or clarifying content. From an educational perspective, narratives are a semiotic conduit for evoking critical thinking skills

  8. Re-authoring life narratives of trauma survivors: Spiritual perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles Manda

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Traditionally, the exploration of the impact of trauma on trauma survivors in South Africa has been focused mainly on the bio-psychosocial aspects. The bio-psychosocial approach recognises that trauma affects people biologically, socially and psychologically. In this article, the author explores a holistic understanding of the effects of trauma on people from communities historically affected by political violence in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Using a participatory action research design (PAR as a way of working through trauma, a longitudinal study was conducted in Pietermaritzburg from 2009–2013. At the end of the study, life narratives were documented and published. The textual analysis of these life narratives reveals that, besides the bio-psychosocial effects that research participants experienced during and after the trauma, they also sustained moral and spiritual injuries. Trauma took its toll in their lives emotionally, psychologically, spiritually, morally and in their relationships with themselves, others and God. From these findings, the author argues that the bio-psychosocial approach is incomplete for understanding the holistic effects of trauma on the whole person. Therefore, he recommends the integration of the moral and spiritual aspects of trauma to come up with a holistic model of understanding the effects of trauma on traumatised individuals. The holistic model will enhance the treatment, healing and recovery of trauma survivors. This, in turn, will alleviate the severe disruption of many aspects of psychological functioning and well-being of trauma survivors caused by the effects of trauma.

  9. Gender Issues and the Slave Narratives: "Incidents in the Life" and "Narrative of the Life" Compared.

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    DeGout, Yasmin Y.

    The differences between early African American narratives written by women and those written by men can be seen in a comparison of Harriet A. Jacobs's "Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl, Written by Herself" and Frederick Douglass's "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave." A comparison of these works…

  10. Exploring the Experiences of Living With Stroke Through Narrative: Stroke Survivors' Perspectives.

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    Nasr, Nasrin; Mawson, Susan; Wright, Peter; Parker, Jack; Mountain, Gail

    2016-01-01

    Chronic illness models are normally used to explain and predict the experience of living with a long-term condition. The aim of this study was to present the findings of narrative interviews with stroke survivors and their family carers to understand their experiences of stroke. We interviewed five people with stroke and three family carers from the United Kingdom. We used thematic analysis to generate themes from their narrative accounts and then linked them to broader theoretical perspectives while influenced by the concept of reinterpretation of life. The narrative accounts of participants are mainly structured based on how their changed bodies poststroke changed their identities and roles and consequently their relationships with others. In this study, we underline the need for using methods like narrative to explain strategies that people use to make sense of their experiences of living with a long-term condition such as stroke.

  11. The participants' perspective: how biographic-narrative intervention influences identity negotiation and quality of life in aphasia.

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    Corsten, Sabine; Schimpf, Erika J; Konradi, Jürgen; Keilmann, Annerose; Hardering, Friedericke

    2015-01-01

    People with aphasia experience a pronounced decrease in quality of life (QoL). Beyond that identity negotiation is hindered, which is crucial for QoL. Biographic-narrative approaches use life story telling to support identity (re)development after disruptive events like stroke. Because of the language deficits inherent in aphasia such 'talk-based' approaches have to be modified for an optimal use. To evaluate an adapted interdisciplinary biographic-narrative intervention using quantitative measures of health-related quality of life (HRQL) and mood. Additionally, semi-structured interviews were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of identity development processes in people with aphasia. Twenty-seven participants with various types of chronic aphasia were enrolled. The biographic narrative intervention consisted of five face-to-face in-depth interviews and seven group sessions conducted over 10 weeks in a mixed-method design with pre- and post-tests and a follow-up assessment 3 months post-intervention. For quantitative evaluation the Aachen Life Quality Inventory (ALQI), the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) and the Visual Analog Mood Scales (VAMS) were used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted post-treatment, including questions concerning the participants' experiences with the intervention and identity change. Results were analysed using interpretative principles from Grounded Theory. For all 27 participants, we found significant and stable growth in HRQL. Self-reported states of mood also improved. As expected, overall cognitively based life satisfaction did not change. The interviews revealed two main categories: 'evaluation of the face-to-face interviews' and 'evaluation of the group sessions'. Further analysis found four overlapping main themes which were identified as identity issues: agency, control, disease concept and doing things. Our quantitative and qualitative results demonstrated the benefits associated with the biographic-narrative

  12. Narrative learning through life: Kenyan teachers' life-stories and narrative learning, and what this means for their relation to the teaching profession

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, Kari Kragh Blume

    2015-01-01

    This article explores four Kenyan primary school teachers’ life-stories and narrative learning through living and telling stories about their lives from 2000 to 2011, and what this means for their relation to the teaching profession. Evidence suggests that narrative learning manifests as altered...... professionalism ‘in’ and ‘through’ the stories teachers tell about their lives and depends on ruptures in lived life, followed by periods of transition in life-stories. Teachers also learned narratively by recounting their life-stories. Thus, narrative learning is an important learning site and a resource...... for professional development in addition to pre-service teacher education....

  13. Parents' traces in life: When and how parents are presented in spontaneous life narratives.

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    Köber, Christin; Habermas, Tilmann

    2017-08-26

    Although parents are acknowledged to be a part of their children's personality and narrative identity and to remain important across the life span, narrative personality research has not yet explored the spontaneous presentation of parents in life stories. Therefore, this study examined longitudinally the place given to parents when crafting one's life narrative and how this changes with age. Furthermore, in contrast to prior studies, we focused on spontaneous mentions of parents. We investigated how often parents are mentioned in life narratives of six age groups spanning from age 8 to 69, how the parental relationship is evaluated, whether narrators express understanding of their parents, and whether they respond to parental values. People of all ages dedicated a substantial part of their life narratives to their parents and evaluated their relationship with them in an increasingly differentiated manner. Parents were increasingly perceived as individuals beyond their parental nurturing role. Until late in life, individuals reflect on values and opinions that were transferred to them by their parents. Parents hold a consistent place in life narratives, emphasizing their importance for narrative identity. Results are discussed in terms of lifelong child-parent relationships. Directions for future research are outlined. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Periperformative Life Narrative: Queer Collages

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    Poletti, A.L.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/377063525

    2016-01-01

    This essay reconsiders the importance of performativity to scholarship on life writing by exploring the potential of Eve Sedgwick's concept of the periper-formative utterance for reading queer life narratives. Taking the documentary Tarnation (2003) as an example, I argue that a range of life

  15. Stuck in the past: negative bias, explanatory style, temporal order, and evaluative perspectives in life narratives of clinically depressed individuals.

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    Habermas, Tilmann; Ott, Lisa-M; Schubert, Merve; Schneider, Beatrix; Pate, Anna

    2008-01-01

    This study attempted to replicate negative bias and depressive explanatory style in depression using life narratives. The two central aspects of narrative, temporal succession and evaluation, were also explored. These aspects were tested for the first time using entire life narratives of 17 depressed inpatients and non-depressed controls matched for sex and educational level. Negative bias and depressive explanatory style were replicated as typical for the depressed group. Life narratives of depressed patients also deviated more from a linear temporal order and compared less frequently the past with the present. Contrary to expectations, the depressed did not differ in the overall frequency of evaluations. However, they used more past than present evaluations and more experience-near evaluations than cognitive evaluations, suggesting that they are more immersed in past experiences. It is concluded that negative bias and depressive explanatory style can be found also in a naturalistic narrative measure, and that depression affects the two major aspects of narrative. It is argued that life narratives, as measures close to everyday clinical practice and as the most encompassing form of self-representation, should complement more experimental procedures in the study of cognitive and communicative processes in psychopathology. 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  16. Fathers' experiences of their child's life-limiting condition: An attachment narrative perspective.

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    Bailey-Pearce, Oliver; Stedmon, Jacqui; Dallos, Rudi; Davis, George

    2017-09-01

    When a child has a life-limiting illness, parental involvement is amplified, having to respond to the increased needs of the child. Both parents are affected by the illness, yet research has largely under-represented fathers' experiences of their child's illness. Seven fathers were interviewed about their experiences with their child's life-limiting illness. In addition, fathers' attachment strategies were assessed using the Adult Attachment Interview. Narrative analysis was implemented to explore the interviews, and indicators of attachment markers employed in the Adult Attachment Interview were also identified. The dominant themes were found to be 'experience of the diagnosis', 'living with the illness', 'struggling with emotions' and 'relationship with staff'. Within each theme, there were differences which related to the father's attachment strategies. This was particularly evident in parts of their narratives recounting critical moments of threat and anxiety in the course of discovering and adjusting to their child's illness. Importantly, the findings also suggested that the experience for the fathers stressed, and in some cases disrupted, their attachment coping strategies. All fathers told stories of trying to get it right for their children and family. Their experiences of, and adjustment to, the illness were related to their attachment strategies. The clinical implications for health professionals are discussed.

  17. Who speaks? Who looks? Who feels? Point of view in autobiographical narratives.

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    Habermas, Tilmann

    2006-04-01

    In this paper, the author aims to substantiate Freud's claim that neurotic illness creates gaps in autobiographical narratives in terms of the narrator's stating and inducing perspectives. He sketches out the role of narrative perspective and the joint taking of a shared perspective by analyst and patient in psychoanalytic therapy. He introduces four ways of representing perspectives in narratives. Three degrees of narrative distortion are exemplified by three excerpts from life narratives and explored in terms of narrative perspective representation. The most comprehensive perspective representation is achieved in the first example by explicitly stating the present perspective of the narrator as well as the past perspective of the story's protagonist by use of mental verbs. In the second narrative, exclusive use of linguistic forms for inducing the protagonist's perspective both overwhelms the narrator and gives the listener an incomplete picture of what happened. Inconsistent motives, denial of responsibility and omission of detail render the third narrative even more difficult to follow. The author discusses the clinical significance of this exploratory analysis of perspectives in narratives in terms of claiming responsibility for one's past action and of level of defence mechanisms, and by highlighting the emotional impact on listeners, which the author suggests is the stronger the more perspectives are left out. He discusses analogies to countertransference. The analysis of narrative perspectives offers an approach for systematic research in psychoanalytic practice.

  18. Reverse perspective as a narrative technique in Amerindian prosaic texts

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    Volkova Svitlana

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available The paper focuses on the narrative perspective of interpreting the ethno-cultural meanings hidden in the characters of prosaic texts written by contemporary Amerindian writers (N.S. Momaday, Linda Hogan, Leslie Silko and others. The main idea raised in their works is to highlight ethno-cultural traditions, values, ceremonies and understanding the world. The main author’s interest is paid to the reverse perspective as a narrative technique of interpretation the central character as ethno-cultural symbol.

  19. The Participants' Perspective: How Biographic-Narrative Intervention Influences Identity Negotiation and Quality of Life in Aphasia

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    Corsten, Sabine; Schimpf, Erika J.; Konradi, Jürgen; Keilmann, Annerose; Hardering, Friedericke

    2015-01-01

    Background: People with aphasia experience a pronounced decrease in quality of life (QoL). Beyond that identity negotiation is hindered, which is crucial for QoL. Biographic-narrative approaches use life story telling to support identity (re)development after disruptive events like stroke. Because of the language deficits inherent in aphasia such…

  20. Everyday life, schizophrenia and narratives of illness experience

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    llen Cristina Ricci

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: This paper presents a narrative review of the literature on the everyday life of people diagnosed with the schizophrenia spectrum, from their narratives about the illness experience, published as articles in indexed journals. The narrative reviews start from broad issues with data sources and selection of articles that may contain some bias, seeking to develop a contextual and theoretical theme. Objective: The main objective is to indicate how narrative studies on the everyday life and experience of schizophrenia are presented in the national and international scenario; the most relevant authors; how the everyday life concept is described; type of studies performed and the possible contributions to the health/disease/care in mental health care process. Method: We sought the breadth of the researched material, appropriation, and organization of it. We reported the findings in quantitative terms on the subject to then present an overview of the selected papers. We aimed to know those who present the everyday life experienced by people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Results: Considering the seven databases used during this review, we selected 281 papers, 90% of them were international and just under one-third (82 papers report/describe and value their narrative in the first person about the illness experience. Conclusão: We discuss the relevance and responsibility of mental health research centered on the experience, the current sciences scenario, and the dialogues with singularities, and regarding the different experiences of illness in the Brazilian sociocultural context

  1. Life Themes and Interpersonal Motivational Systems in the Narrative Self-construction

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    Veglia, Fabio; Di Fini, Giulia

    2017-01-01

    What makes unique and unrepeatable individuals is their ability to write their own story attributing meaning, sharing it through narration, giving coherence to the information related to the interpersonal motivational systems, and creating alternative hierarchies to those biologically provided by the genetic code. Through clinical narratives and narrative literature, we can observe the recurrence of specific topics, across time and different cultures. Hence, we wondered whether there are some evolutionary suggestions that guide us in the construction of the narrative-autobiographical contents. In this article we proposed a theoretical-clinical hypothesis about the existence of a biological disposition to identify as fundamental six Life Themes (LTs) that contribute to defining the image of the self and the world: Love, Personal Value, Power, Justice, Truth, and Freedom. Besides the innumerable narratives dependent upon context, there may be many ways of telling stories that, instead, would be reported to these few essential themes. A narrative review of the literature about these concepts follows the systematic explanation of the perspective about the LTs as attractors of meaning. The manuscript considers also the process of co-construction of meanings within the interpersonal relationships and the influences of these on the narratives. In particular, we focused on the importance of episodic and autobiographical memory related to the attachment and significant figures, in the construction of the personal story and the LTs. We also explained the possible clinical implications of the theoretical hypothesis of LTs. Within clinical conversations, the LTs could be expressed rigidly or, otherwise, in a confused way. The lack of narrative integration may lead to the dominance of chaos or rigidity that generates suffering. A better comprehension of the LTs in patients’ narrations could be useful to identify a narrative profile about the areas of greatest suffering

  2. [Narratives in the study of mental health care practices: contributions of the perspectives of Paul Ricoeur, Walter Benjamin and of medical anthropology].

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    Onocko-Campos, Rosana Teresa; Palombini, Analice de Lima; Leal, Erotildes; de Serpa, Octavio Domont; Baccari, Ivana Oliveira Preto; Ferrer, Ana Luiza; Diaz, Alberto Giovanello; Xavier, Maria Angélica Zamora

    2013-10-01

    Narratives are ever more frequent in qualitative studies seeking to interpret experiences and the different viewpoints of individuals in a given context. Starting from this concept, the tradition that addresses narrative is reexamined, including the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur, the historical perspective of Walter Benjamin and the field of medical anthropology grounded in phenomenology. In Ricoeur, with hermeneutics as a variation derived from phenomenology, narrative is linked to temporality. In Benjamin, narrative comprised of bits and pieces, always inconclusive, emerges in spite of the official stories. If Ricoeur retrieves tradition from Gadamer as a fundamental component for the construction of the world of a text that makes imitation of life possible, Benjamin, faced with the collapse of tradition, suggests the invention of narrative forms outside the traditional canons, making it possible to hark to the past in order to change the present. Assumptions of medical anthropology are also presented, as they consider narrative a dimension of life and not its abstraction, namely an embodied and situated narrative. Lastly, three distinct research projects in mental health that use narrative linked to the theoretical concepts cited with their differences and similarities are presented.

  3. [Narrative-based medicine and clinical knowledge].

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    Saito, Seiji

    2006-01-01

    Narrative Based Medicine (NBM) can be defined as follows; a) It views the patient's illness as an unfolding story within the wider story of the patient's life and life-world; b) It acknowledges the patient as the narrator of the story and the subject of the tale; c) It recognizes that all medical theories, hypothesis and pathophysiologies as socially constructed narratives and accepts the coexistence of multiple different narratives; d) It regards the emergence of new stories from dialogue and discourse between patients and healthcare professionals as part of the treatment. Because psychiatry is the only area of specialist medicine where talking and listening are explicitly understood to be therapeutic, NBM can be adopted an effective perspective and method in psychiatry.

  4. Recognizing Perspectives: Narrative Differences and Hidden Ideologies in Taiwanese History Textbooks

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pei-Fen Sung

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Democratization allowed Taiwanese History to be established independently in the curriculum, and because Taiwanese consciousness and Chinese consciousness are two main historical ideologies in the history curriculum, there is a need for history teachers to have the ability to judge the underlying perspectives in Taiwanese History. This study utilizes three versions of Junior-high school Taiwanese history textbooks and examines three themes-- “The Origins of Taiwanese Aboriginals,” “The Historical Relationship between Taiwan and China,” and “the Mu-Dan-She Event” --to explain the narrative differences in the textbook accounts. We found Taiwanese consciousness, Chinese consciousness and international consciousness in the three different textbooks. However, these identity-related ideologies are embedded in historical facts that appear to be neutral making perspectives in the narratives unheeded. We believe that teachers need to help sensitize students with the underlying perspectives and interpretive frames in historical narratives in order to cultivate citizens’ rational thinking ability and to develop discernment in identifying identity education hidden in textbooks in a democratic society.

  5. Development of Temporal Macrostructure in Life Narratives across the Lifespan

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    Köber, Christin; Habermas, Tilmann

    2017-01-01

    In Western cultures, life narratives are typically expected to recount the narrator's life from birth to the present. Disparate autobiographical memories need to be integrated into a more or less coherent story, which is facilitated by an overarching temporal macrostructure. The temporal macrostructure consists of elaborated beginnings that…

  6. Narrating the Good Life: Illuminations.

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    Suoranta, Juha

    2000-01-01

    The conception of the good life in theoretical texts and adult learners' written narratives depicts well-being in terms of aesthetic experiences, values, existential experiences, autonomy, and significant others. Future prospects for adult education as legislative practice, as therapy and as commitment are derived from the discussion. (SK)

  7. Impaired coherence of life narratives of patients with schizophrenia.

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    Allé, Mélissa C; Potheegadoo, Jevita; Köber, Christin; Schneider, Priscille; Coutelle, Romain; Habermas, Tilmann; Danion, Jean-Marie; Berna, Fabrice

    2015-08-10

    Self-narratives of patients have received increasing interest in schizophrenia since they offer unique material to study patients' subjective experience related to their illness, in particular the alteration of self that accompanies schizophrenia. In this study, we investigated the life narratives and the ability to integrate and bind memories of personal events into a coherent narrative in 27 patients with schizophrenia and 26 controls. Four aspects of life narratives were analyzed: coherence with cultural concept of biography, temporal coherence, causal-motivational coherence and thematic coherence. Results showed that in patients cultural biographical knowledge is preserved, whereas temporal coherence is partially impaired. Furthermore, causal-motivational and thematic coherence are significantly impaired: patients have difficulties explaining how events have modeled their identity, and integrating different events along thematic lines. Impairment of global causal-motivational and thematic coherence was significantly correlated with patients' executive dysfunction, suggesting that cognitive impairment observed in patients could affect their ability to construct a coherent narrative of their life by binding important events to their self. This study provides new understanding of the cognitive deficits underlying self-disorders in patients with schizophrenia. Our findings suggest the potential usefulness of developing new therapeutic interventions to improve autobiographical reasoning skills.

  8. Cosmopolitan Narratives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bondebjerg, Ib

    universal dimensions of human life and cultural differences in a more and more mediatized global media culture. How do individuals and groups imagine each other in this new, global media culture, in what Appadurai (1996) has called a new post-national political world with an emerging diasporic public sphere......Cosmopolitan Narratives: Documentary Perspectives on Afghanistan Cosmopolitanism is a concept discussed in relation to globalization in contemporary societies by sociologists, anthropologists and media scholars (Beck 2006, Delanty 2006, Appadurai 1996). The concept indicates the dialectic between...... close others in our everyday life. But the media play an increasingly strong and important role in developing a cosmopolitan imaginary through narratives that bring us closer to the various distant, global others. Through migration those earlier distant others are also more and more mixed in our daily...

  9. Narrative perspective shift at retrieval: The psychological-distance-mediated-effect on emotional intensity of positive and negative autobiographical memory.

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    Gu, Xuan; Tse, Chi-Shing

    2016-10-01

    The present study manipulated participants' narrative perspectives (1st-personal pronoun "I" and 3rd-personal pronoun "He/She") to vary their field and observer visual perspectives that they took to retrieve autobiographical events and examine how the shifts in narrative perspective could influence the self-rated emotional intensity of autobiographical memory. Results showed that when narrative perspectives effectively shifted participants' visual perspectives from field to observer, they felt attenuated emotional intensities of positive and negative autobiographical memories. However, this did not occur when narrative perspectives effectively shifted the visual perspectives from observer to field. Multiple mediator models further showed that the changes in psychological distance and imagery vividness (a distance-related construct) of autobiographical memory mediated the relationship between the narrative perspective shift from the 1st- to 3rd-person and the reduction in the intensities of negative and positive emotion. This provides support for the role of psychological distancing in reducing the emotional intensity of autobiographical memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Theory and practice of clinical ethics support services: narrative and hermeneutical perspectives

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    Porz, R.; Landeweer, E.G.M.; Widdershoven, G.A.M.

    2011-01-01

    In this paper we introduce narrative and hermeneutical perspectives to clinical ethics support services (CESS). We propose a threefold consideration of 'theory' and show how it is interwoven with 'practice' as we go along. First, we look at theory in its foundational role: in our case 'narrative

  11. The development of the temporal macrostructure of life narratives across adolescence: beginnings, linear narrative form, and endings.

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    Habermas, Tilmann; Ehlert-Lerche, Silvia; de Silveira, Cybèle

    2009-04-01

    The ontogeny of the ability to describe people culminates in adolescence in the development of the life story. An overarching temporal macrostructure and framing by a prehistory and a future-oriented global evaluation of life helps integrate disparate autobiographical memories into a coherent story. Two life narratives each of 8-, 12-, 16-, and 20-year-olds (N=102) were analyzed in terms of how well-formed their beginnings and endings are and how much they follow a linear temporal order. By age 12, the majority of life narratives began with birth, ended in the present, and followed a chronological order. In late adolescence and early adulthood, more elaborate birth narratives and retrospective evaluations of life and outlooks into the future were added. These formal characteristics were related to biographical practices, biographical knowledge, and fluid intelligence. Text-analytical methods are proposed as a method for the analysis of biographical and autobiographical reasoning and understanding.

  12. Role of Narrative Perspective and Modality in the Persuasiveness of Public Service Advertisements Promoting HPV Vaccination.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nan, Xiaoli; Futerfas, Michelle; Ma, Zexin

    2017-03-01

    In the context of public service advertisements promoting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, the current research examines 1) the relative persuasiveness of narrative vs. non-narrative messages and 2) the influence of narrative perspective (first- vs. third-person) and modality (text-based vs. audio-based) on message effectiveness. Results of a controlled experiment (N = 121) suggested that both a non-narrative message and a first-person narrative message led to greater perceived risk of getting HPV than a third-person narrative message. There was no difference in risk perception between the non-narrative and first-person narrative conditions. These findings were confined to the text-based condition, however. When the messages were audio-based, no differential message effects were detected. The analysis also provided partial evidence for an indirect effect of narrative perspective on intentions to vaccinate against HPV through HPV risk perception. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.

  13. Life Narratives as a Pedagogy for Cultivating Critical Self-Reflection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Bridget Turner; Bhangal, Naseeb K

    2018-09-01

    This chapter provides a framework for using life narratives as a powerful pedagogy to move youth from simple reflection to critical self-reflection. This increases learner agency, generates counter-narratives that challenge dominant norms, and increases learners' awareness of positionality. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. The influence of child sexual abuse on the self from adult narrative perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krayer, Anne; Seddon, Diane; Robinson, Catherine A; Gwilym, Hefin

    2015-01-01

    The impact of child sexual abuse on the adult self is not yet clearly understood. We explored adult perspectives through the use of narrative interviews (N = 30). Three key themes or views of self were identified in all narratives to varying degrees: the worthless self, the self as unknown, and the potential/developing self. Ambivalence and tension were present in all narratives. Individuals were challenged to integrate the sexual abuse experience in a constructive way and develop a more coherent perception of the self. The narrative method highlighted the dynamic nature of peoples' experiences at the same time recognizing that the narratives themselves are in progress. Reactions to disclosure, social support, and interpersonal connections are crucial at every turn.

  15. Understanding the experiences of racialized older people through an intersectional life course perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrer, Ilyan; Grenier, Amanda; Brotman, Shari; Koehn, Sharon

    2017-04-01

    This article proposes the development of an intersectional life course perspective that is capable of exploring the links between structural inequalities and the lived experience of aging among racialized older people. Merging key concepts from intersectionality and life course perspectives, the authors suggest an analytic approach to better account for the connections between individual narratives and systems of domination that impinge upon the everyday lives of racialized older people. Our proposed intersectional life course perspective includes four dimensions: 1) identifying key events and their timing, 2) examining locally and globally linked lives, 3) exploring categories of difference and how they shape identities, 4) and assessing how processes of differentiation, and systems of domination shape the lives, agency and resistance among older people. Although applicable to various forms of marginalization, we examine the interplay of racialization, immigration, labour and care in later life to highlight relationships between systems, events, trajectories, and linked lives. The illustrative case example used in this paper emerged from a larger critical ethnographic study of aging in the Filipino community in Montreal, Canada. We suggest that an intersectional life course perspective has the potential to facilitate a deeper understanding of the nexus of structural, personal and relational processes that are experienced by diverse groups of older people across the life course and into late life. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Peak Oil and the Everyday Complexity of Human Progress Narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John C. Pruit

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The “big” story of human progress has polarizing tendencies featuring the binary options of progress or decline. I consider human progress narratives in the context of everyday life. Analysis of the “little” stories from two narrative environments focusing on peak oil offers a more complex picture of the meaning and contours of the narrative. I consider the impact of differential blog site commitments to peak oil perspectives and identify five narrative types culled from two narrative dimensions. I argue that the lived experience complicates human progress narratives, which is no longer an either/or proposition.

  17. How stable is the personal past? Stability of most important autobiographical memories and life narratives across eight years in a life span sample.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köber, Christin; Habermas, Tilmann

    2017-10-01

    Considering life stories as the most individual layer of personality (McAdams, 2013) implies that life stories, similar to personality traits, exhibit some stability throughout life. Although stability of personality traits has been extensively investigated, only little is known about the stability of life stories. We therefore tested the influence of age, of the proportion of normative age-graded life events, and of global text coherence on the stability of the most important memories and of brief entire life narratives as 2 representations of the life story. We also explored whether normative age-graded life events form more stable parts of life narratives. In a longitudinal life span study covering up to 3 measurements across 8 years and 6 age groups (N = 164) the stability of important memories and of entire life narratives was measured as the percentage of events and narrative segments which were repeated in later tellings. Stability increased between ages 8 and 24, leveling off in middle adulthood. Beyond age, stability of life narratives was also predicted by proportion of normative age-graded life events and by causal-motivational text coherence in younger participants. Memories of normative developmental and social transitional life events were more stable than other memories. Stability of segments of life narratives exceeded the stability of single most important memories. Findings are discussed in terms of cognitive, personality, and narrative psychology and point to research questions in each of these fields. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

  18. Narrative foreclosure in later life: Preliminary considerations for a new sensitizing concept

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bohlmeijer, Ernst Thomas; Westerhof, Gerben Johan; Randall, W.; Tromp, T.; Kenyon, G.

    2011-01-01

    The objective of the paper is to explore narrative foreclosure as a sensitizing concept for studying the ways in which narrative identity development falters in later life. Two main characters in famous movies are contrasted to provide a better understanding of narrative foreclosure. The concept is

  19. "Honey, You're Jumping about"--Mothers' Scaffolding of Their Children's and Adolescents' Life Narration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habermas, Tilmann; Negele, Alexa; Mayer, Fernanda Brenneisen

    2010-01-01

    Research on mother-child reminiscing as a socializing practice for autobiographical memory is extended from early childhood and the narrating of single events to adolescence and the narrating of an entire life story. To explore whether the development of the life story in adolescence depends on qualities of the narrator or on the brevity of the…

  20. Characterizing lifespan development of three aspects of coherence in life narratives: a cohort-sequential study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köber, Christin; Schmiedek, Florian; Habermas, Tilmann

    2015-02-01

    The ability to narrate stories and a synchronic self-concept develop in the pre- and primary school years. Life story theory proposes that both developments extend to an even later developmental stage, that is, to adolescents' acquisition of a coherent life story. Cross-sectional evidence supports the emergence of a life story in adolescence, but is mixed in terms of later life span development. The present study examines longitudinally the development of global coherence in life narratives across almost the entire life span. Starting in 2003, a total of 172 participants narrated their lives over the course of 8 years (aged 16, 20, 24, 28, 44, and 69 when last tested) resulting in up to 4 life narratives per person. Three aspects of global life narrative coherence--temporal, causal-motivational, and thematic coherence--were measured with global ratings and predicted by their respective textual indicators. Children lacked most aspects of global coherence. Almost all indicators of temporal and causal-motivational coherence increased substantially across adolescence up to early adulthood, as did thematic coherence, which continued to develop throughout middle adulthood. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

  1. Self-defining memories, scripts, and the life story: narrative identity in personality and psychotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singer, Jefferson A; Blagov, Pavel; Berry, Meredith; Oost, Kathryn M

    2013-12-01

    An integrative model of narrative identity builds on a dual memory system that draws on episodic memory and a long-term self to generate autobiographical memories. Autobiographical memories related to critical goals in a lifetime period lead to life-story memories, which in turn become self-defining memories when linked to an individual's enduring concerns. Self-defining memories that share repetitive emotion-outcome sequences yield narrative scripts, abstracted templates that filter cognitive-affective processing. The life story is the individual's overarching narrative that provides unity and purpose over the life course. Healthy narrative identity combines memory specificity with adaptive meaning-making to achieve insight and well-being, as demonstrated through a literature review of personality and clinical research, as well as new findings from our own research program. A clinical case study drawing on this narrative identity model is also presented with implications for treatment and research. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  2. Istrian folk narrative tradition from the perspective of changing borders:

    OpenAIRE

    Kropej, Monika

    2013-01-01

    This paper focuses on the folk narrative tradition of Istria, which reflect the area's cultural landscape as well as the everyday life of its inhabitants. Presented is an overview of the changing narrative tradition in the area situated along presently disappearing formal state borders within the expanded European Union. The author explores older studies and research conducted by contemporary scholars who focused their scholarly interest in the spiritual culture of this area. Special interest...

  3. Stories about life narrated by people with Alzheimer's disease.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karlsson, Eva; Sävenstedt, Stefan; Axelsson, Karin; Zingmark, Karin

    2014-12-01

    To explore how people with Alzheimer's disease present their life story. Life story work is a key concept in a person-centred care. An important aspect in understanding the subjective experience and supporting the identity of people with dementia is to listen to their life stories. A narrative design with interviews was used. Nine participants with Alzheimer's disease were encouraged to tell about their lives from childhood, adult life, to present life and about their thoughts on the future. The interviews were conducted between September 2010-March 2011 in the participants' homes, with their spouses present and were analysed with a method for analysis of narratives. Contentment, Connectedness, Self-reliance and Personal growth were identified as core dimensions in the participants' life stories and shown like threads throughout life, from childhood, adult life to present life. All participants expressed an overall contentment with life, and connectedness was related to their relation with significant persons and to be included in the local community. Self-reliance was expressed as a strong confidence in the own ability and an overall curiosity throughout life as a sustained quest for personal growth. It is important for healthcare professionals, who work with people with dementia, to understand that people with Alzheimer's disease can maintain an overall trusting and hopeful approach to life. It is also important to use life story work to enhance feelings of being connected to the world and thereby support their identity and sense of self. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  4. Steering a Course through Work and Life the Narratives of a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Steering a Course through Work and Life the Narratives of a Zimbabwean Migrant ... Journal of Social Development in Africa ... of migrant life and the ways in which connections are continually forged and experience and agency enacted.

  5. The development of global coherence in life narratives across adolescence: temporal, causal, and thematic aspects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habermas, Tilmann; de Silveira, Cybèle

    2008-05-01

    Extending the study of autobiographical narratives to entire life narratives, we tested the emergence of globally coherent life narratives in adolescence, as hypothesized by McAdams (1985). Participants were 102 children and young adults (ages 8, 12, 16, and 20 years) who narrated their lives twice. Between narrations, half of each age group participated in tasks designed to train autobiographical reasoning; the other half participated in control tasks. Coherence was measured by the relative frequency of local temporal, causal, and thematic linguistic indicators identified qualitatively at the level of propositions, as well as by quantitative global rating scales measuring the impressions of the listeners. Coherence increased across the age span. Overall, repeated narrating and training did not increase coherence. Crystallized and fluid intelligence, number of negative life events, and frequency of biographical practices and confiding in others did not contribute substantially to the prediction of coherence beyond age. Results are interpreted in the context of adolescent identity development. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

  6. Roads not taken: A narrative positioning analysis of older adults' stories about missed opportunities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blix, Bodil Hansen; Hamran, Torunn; Normann, Hans Ketil

    2015-12-01

    The point of departure for this article is narrative gerontology's conceptualization of life as storied and the assumption that identity development and meaning making do not cease at any age, but rather continue throughout life. We suggest that if identity construction is considered to be a lifelong project, narrative gerontology would benefit from applying analytical perspectives focused on the situated activity of narration. In this article, we apply a three-level positioning analysis to segments of interviews with two elderly Sami women concerning missed opportunities or roads not taken and, more specifically, to narrations about missed opportunities for education. We argue that such narrations should not necessarily be considered expressions of regret or processes of reconciliation but rather as pivotal in here-and-now identity constructions. Narrations about missed opportunities demonstrate that what narrators choose to insert into their life stories is chosen for a purpose and for an audience in a specific interpersonal and discursive context. We suggest that narrative gerontology would benefit from a broader focus on the diversity of sites of engagement in which older adults perform identity constructions. This shift implies moving beyond traditional studies of older adults' life stories and biographical narratives as related in the context of qualitative research interviews (of which the present study of Sami older adults' life stories is indeed an example). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Story Perspective and Character Similarity as Drivers of Identification of Narrative Persuasion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Hoeken, J.A.L.|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/111050359; Kolthoff, Matthijs; Sanders, José

    2016-01-01

    Identification with a character is an important mechanism of narrative persuasion. In 2 studies, the impact of character similarity on identification was pitted against that of story perspective. Participants read stories in which a lawyer (Study 1) and a general practitioner (GP; Study 2) had a

  8. Narrative Processes across Childhood

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mulvaney, Matthew Keefe

    2011-01-01

    According to the narrative perspective on personality development, personality is constructed largely by interpreting and representing experience in story format (scripts) over the course of the lifespan. The focus of this paper is to describe briefly the narrative perspective on personality development during childhood and adolescence, to discuss…

  9. Organizational Remembering as Narrative

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Musacchio Adorisio, Anna Linda

    2014-01-01

    This article focuses on organizational remembering in banking. To provide an alternative to the repository image of memory in organization, organizational remembering is conceptualized as narrative, where narrative represents a way to organize the selection and interpretation of the past....... The narrative perspective deals with both the experiential and contextual nature of remembering by addressing concerns raised by critiques of organizational memory studies, namely, the subjective experience of remembering and the social and historical context in which remembering takes place. Antenarrative...... the narrative perspective reveals ruptures and ambiguities that characterize organizational remembering that would remain hidden in the organizational memory studies approach....

  10. AMERICAN ENSLAVEMENT AS SEEN IN NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF FREDERICK DOUGLAS & IN THE INTERESTING NARRATIVE OF THE LIFE OF OLAUDAH EQUIAO

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suparman Suparman

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Mimetic approach is used in this study to reveal the practice of slavery depicted in two novels "narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglas" and "The Interesting Narrative of the life of Olaudah Equiao". The findings show that novels have common ground that is the practice of the slavery of blacks Africans by the whites in America. In some aspects, the slaveholders treated their slave inhumanly, savagely, and brutally. The slaves were really treated like animals in the ways of providing them food, shelter. clothes, and dispensation of rest. They were forbiden to learn of how to write and read. They were forced to work hard without having enough rest. However, when they got wage, they had to give it to their masters. Female slaves were whipped and tortured savagely, and their children were tortured to death. These are the examples of the brutality of the slaveholders. Key words: slavery, slaveholders, slaves, inhumanity, discrimination, and oppression

  11. Narrative Medicine perspectives on patient identity and integrative care in neuro-oncology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Slocum, Robert B; Howard, Tracy A; Villano, John L

    2017-09-01

    Narrative Medicine sessions can encourage patients to rediscover personal identity and meaning by telling or writing their stories. We explored this process to improve care and quality of life for brain cancer patients in an academic neuro-oncology program. Brain cancer and its treatments may threaten a patient's quality of life and sense of self in many ways, including impaired cognitive skills, loss of memory, reduced coordination, and limited capacity for self-expression. The impact of symptoms and side effects on quality of life must be evaluated in terms of each patient's identity and may be understood in terms of each patient's story. Insights from Narrative Medicine visits may also be helpful for the treatment team as they seek to assess patient needs, attitudes, and abilities. We provide case-based histories demonstrating applications of Narrative Medicine in the care of patients with brain tumors whose sense of self and quality of life are challenged. The cases include managing frontal lobe syndrome of loss of initiative and pervasive emotional apathy with his wife and young children, regaining a meaningful activity in a patient, re-establishing self-identity in a young woman with ependymoma, and improving spells with coexistent epilepsy and psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES).

  12. Grasping the mechanisms of narratives' incoherence in schizophrenia: an analysis of the temporal structure of patients' life story.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Allé, M C; Gandolphe, M-C; Doba, K; Köber, C; Potheegadoo, J; Coutelle, R; Habermas, T; Nandrino, J-L; Danion, J-M; Berna, F

    2016-08-01

    Life narratives of patients with schizophrenia are characterized by impaired coherence so that the listener has often difficulties to grasp the life trajectory of the patients. In order to better understand what causes this reduced temporal coherence, we investigated the temporal structure of patients' life narratives through different temporal narrative elements (elaboration of beginnings and endings, local temporal indicators and temporal deviations from a linear order), across two complementary studies. Life narratives were collected by means of two different methods; a free recall in study 1 and a more structured protocol, aiming at reducing the cognitive task demands in study 2. All narratives from the two studies were analyzed using the same validated method. Both studies showed that global temporal coherence is significantly reduced in patients with schizophrenia (ps.02). This is mainly due to their stronger tendency to temporally deviate from a linear temporal order without marking the deviation as such. We also observed significant correlations in the patient groups between global temporal coherence and executive dysfunction (p=.008) or their higher tendency to temporally deviate from a linear temporal order in their life narratives (p<.001). These results shed light on narrative correlates of temporal narrative incoherence in schizophrenia and highlight the central role of executive dysfunction in this incoherence. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Love and the Value of Life in Health Care: A Narrative Medicine Case Study in Medical Education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pentiado, Jorge Alberto Martins; De Almeida, Helcia Oliveira; Amorim, Fábio Ferreira; Facioli, Adriano Machado; Trindade, Eliana Mendonça Vilar; De Almeida, Karlo Jozefo Quadros

    This case study is an example of narrative medicine applied to promote self-awareness and develop humanistic contents in medical education. The impact and the human appeal of the narrative lie in the maturity and empathy shown by a student when reporting his dramatic experience during the care given to a newborn (with Patau syndrome and multiple malformations diagnosed at birth) and to her mother. The narrative approach helped the student to be successful in bringing out the meaning behind the story and to position himself from the mother's and newborn's perspective. The student's introspection changed a seemingly scary interaction into a positive experience, overcoming many initial negative emotions, such as fear, disappointment, horror, hopelessness, and insecurity in the face of the unexpected. It is uplifting how the student was strengthened by the power of maternal love to the point of overcoming any remaining feelings of eugenics or rejection. Other important lessons emerging from the case study were the art of listening and the value of silence. This narrative shows how the development of narrative competence can help establish a good physician-patient relationship, because the physician or the student with such competence usually confirms the patient's value and demonstrates concern for them, focusing on what they say and allowing genuine contact to be established, which is necessary for effective therapeutic alliance. The student's interpretations of the meaning of love and value of life inspired him on his reframing process of a medical practice marked by vicarious suffering.

  14. Coaxing an intimate public : Life narrative in digital storytelling

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Poletti, Anna

    2011-01-01

    This article considers the practice of digital storytelling in light of contemporary theories of autobiography and affect. Using the concept of coaxed life narrative developed by Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson, I analyse the role of digital storytelling in diversifying the voices in the public

  15. Narrative Aversion: Challenges for the Illness Narrative Advocate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrendt, Kathy

    2017-02-01

    Engaging in self-narrative is often touted as a powerful antidote to the bad effects of illness. However, there are various examples of what may broadly be termed "aversion" to illness narrative. I group these into three kinds: aversion to certain types of illness narrative; aversion to illness narrative as a whole; and aversion to illness narrative as an essentially therapeutic endeavor. These aversions can throw into doubt the advantages claimed for the illness narrator, including the key benefits of repair to the damage illness does to identity and life-trajectory. Underlying these alleged benefits are two key presuppositions: that it is the whole of one's life that is narratively unified, and that one's identity is inextricably bound up with narrative. By letting go of these assumptions, illness narrative advocates can respond to the challenges of narrative aversions. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press, on behalf of The Journal of Medicine and Philosophy Inc. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  16. Narrative inquiry: Locating Aboriginal epistemology in a relational methodology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barton, Sylvia S

    2004-03-01

    This methodology utilizes narrative analysis and the elicitation of life stories as understood through dimensions of interaction, continuity, and situation. It is congruent with Aboriginal epistemology formulated by oral narratives through representation, connection, storytelling and art. Needed for culturally competent scholarship is an experience of research whereby inquiry into epiphanies, ritual, routines, metaphors and everyday experience creates a process of reflexive thinking for multiple ways of knowing. Based on the sharing of perspectives, narrative inquiry allows for experimentation into creating new forms of knowledge by contextualizing diabetes from the experience of a researcher overlapped with experiences of participants--a reflective practice in itself. The aim of this paper is to present narrative inquiry as a relational methodology and to analyse critically its appropriateness as an innovative research approach for exploring Aboriginal people's experience living with diabetes. Narrative inquiry represents an alternative culture of research for nursing science to generate understanding and explanation of Aboriginal people's 'diabetic self' stories, and to coax open a window for co-constructing a narrative about diabetes as a chronic illness. The ability to adapt a methodology for use in a cultural context, preserve the perspectives of Aboriginal peoples, maintain the holistic nature of social problems, and value co-participation in respectful ways are strengths of an inquiry partial to a responsive and embodied scholarship.

  17. "I just want my life back!" - Men's narratives about living with fibromyalgia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sallinen, Merja; Mengshoel, Anne Marit

    2017-10-26

    Fibromyalgia is characterized by chronic widespread pain and an array of other symptoms. It is less common among men than among women and the results concerning the severity of men's symptoms are contradictory. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the impacts of fibromyalgia on men's daily life and work ability. The data were collected through life story interviews of five men with fibromyalgia. The results of a narrative analysis are presented in a form of two model narratives: "Adjusting the life to match the illness" and "Being imprisoned by the pain". The first narrative is a description of finding a balance between the illness and wellness, whereas the second is an account of debilitating symptoms, unsuccessful treatment, and rehabilitation interventions. The results suggest that adjusting one's activities may help to manage the symptoms and to support work ability in many cases but for some patients the experience of feeling healthy or pain free might be nothing but a fading memory. Narrative approach is well applicable to rehabilitation of patients with fibromyalgia: an illness narrative may help the patient and professionals to understand the situation better and to set realistic and relevant goals for rehabilitation. Implications for rehabilitation In addition to chronic pain, men with fibromyalgia suffer from daytime tiredness and cognitive challenges that substantially interfere with their work ability and daily functioning. Vocational rehabilitation interventions, including e.g., adjustments of work tasks and hours, should be started early on to support work ability. The results indicate that psychosocial support is needed to improve health related quality of life of patients with severe and complex symptoms, especially if return-to-work is not an option. Men with fibromyalgia seem to lack peer support both in face-to face groups and in on-line groups. "All-male" support groups could be explored in rehabilitation settings in the future. Using a

  18. Transformation of Values, Identities & Life Styles at Iranian Society in Cinema Narration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jamal Mohammadi

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available This article is to do a sociologically analysis on transformation of values, Identities and life styles at Iranian post Islamic revolution society in cinema narrations. The method of study is qualitative; first the selected movies have been analyzed by applying semiotic narration analysis based on elements such as images, shots, actions, mise en secene, dialogues and scenes. Then their main social categories have been extracted and sociologically analyzed through thematic analysis strategy based on theoretical foundation of research. The population of research includes all post revolution Iranian cinema movies which 12 movies have been selected by purposive sampling method. These movies include; Narges, Fair People Wedding, Glass Agency, Under City Cover, Protest, Blue Scarf, Hemlock, Boutique, Wednesday Celebration, Trial in Street, about Eli & Separation of Nader & Simin. Findings show that selected movies narrate gaps, distinctness of social life domains, of instrumental rationality expansion & split of value systems

  19. Autobiographical reasoning: arguing and narrating from a biographical perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habermas, Tilmann

    2011-01-01

    Autobiographical reasoning is the activity of creating relations between different parts of one's past, present, and future life and one's personality and development. It embeds personal memories in a culturally, temporally, causally, and thematically coherent life story. Prototypical autobiographical arguments are presented. Culture and socializing interactions shape the development of autobiographical reasoning especially in late childhood and adolescence. Situated at the intersection of cognitive and narrative development and autobiographical memory, autobiographical reasoning contributes to the development of personality and identity, is instrumental in efforts to cope with life events, and helps to create a shared history. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

  20. African American Elders' Serious Illness Experiences: Narratives of "God Did," "God Will," and "Life Is Better".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coats, Heather; Crist, Janice D; Berger, Ann; Sternberg, Esther; Rosenfeld, Anne G

    2017-04-01

    The foundation of culturally sensitive patient-centered palliative care is formed from one's social, spiritual, psychological, and physical experiences of serious illness. The purpose of this study was to describe categories and patterns of psychological, social, and spiritual healing from the perspectives of aging seriously ill African American (AA) elders. Using narrative analysis methodology, 13 open-ended interviews were collected. Three main patterns were "prior experiences," "I changed," and "across past, present experiences and future expectations." Themes were categorized within each pattern: been through it . . . made me strong, I thought about . . . others, went down little hills . . . got me down, I grew stronger, changed priorities, do things I never would have done, quit doing, God did and will take care of me, close-knit relationships, and life is better. "Faith" in God helped the aging seriously ill AA elders "overcome things," whether their current illness or other life difficulties.

  1. Literary Genres in Social Life: A Narrative, Audio-visual and Poetic Approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Felipe González Gutiérrez

    2008-05-01

    Full Text Available The proposal, "Literary Genres in Social Life: a Narrative, Audio-visual and Poetic Approach", attempts, by objective, to present/display to the academic psychology community and compatible social science disciplines the main contributions of literary genre theory through a social constructionist understanding of narrations and daily stories, and by means of an interactive construction of narrative collage. This work, sustained by an investigation financed by the University Santo Tomás in Bogota, Colombia, "Understanding of structuralist literary theories in the development of the narrative 'I' within the social constructionist approach", tries to propose alternative spaces for the presentation of its investigative results through the expression of metaphors, visual narrative sequences and interactive artistic forms, which invite the spectator to share in and to include/understand important concepts in the consolidation of social forms of construction of the quotidian. URN: urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs0802373

  2. The Neuroscience of Teaching Narratives: Facilitating Social and Emotional Development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lisa Whalen

    2010-04-01

    Full Text Available Humanities and the sciences have long been considered polar opposites that exist in separate realms of academia and require different cognitive skills. However, neuroscience has brought about renewed interest in what we can learn about the human brain by investigating links between disciplines. For example, studies related to English literature have revealed that the benefits of reading narratives (fiction and nonfiction stories extend far beyond language development and include increased competence in social and emotional functioning. By combining the results of an original dissertation study and a review of past and current research in education, psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience, this essay explores how reading narratives serves as practice for managing emotions and social interactions in everyday life. In fact, several studies suggest that reading narratives strengthens nearly every part of the brain because the brain is designed—or “wired”—to think and learn in terms of narratives, regardless of subject matter. This essay provides several types of support for the claim that reading narratives facilitates social and emotional development. Research discussed includes studies showing that reading narratives is not a solitary activity but “a surprisingly social process” (Krakovsky, 2006, p. 1 and is linked to increased ability to view people and events from multiple perspectives, increased empathy for others, and increased ability to interpret social cues (Atkins, 2000; Courtright, Mackey, & Packard, 2005; Davis, 1980; Greif & Hogan, 1973; Harrison, 2008; Mar, 2004; Mar, Oatley, Hirsh, dela Paz, & Peterson, 2006; Stanovich & West, 1989. Understanding how the brain processes narratives and relates them to real life functioning has important implications for many disciplines, such as psychology, in its attempt to understand and treat post-traumatic stress disorder. This essay, however, focuses on the implications for education

  3. Greek Mothers’ Narratives of the Construct of Parental Involvement

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Philia Issari

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available The present study provides a brief overview of the ‘narrative turn’ in counselling and adopts a narrative perspective and analysis to explore Greek mothers’ experiences, and meaning making of involvement in their children’s learning. Data were collected via ten narrative interviews (life-history/biographical narrative. Participants portrayed a variety of conceptions and practices regarding children’s learning and parental participation. Mothers’ stories depicted parental engagement as a complex, multifaceted, flexible and multivoiced construct which can take various forms and is open to change. The findings can inform and enrich counselling practice and prevention efforts including parenting training programmes, family community programmes and home-school link initiatives. Of particular interest for counsellors and therapists are stories of functional and dysfunctional parental involvement practices, school expectations and cultural scripts, the working mother, identity and the process of change.

  4. "My Home and My School": Examining Immigrant Adolescent Narratives from the Critical Sociocultural Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jun

    2010-01-01

    Privileging the voices of 12 recent Chinese immigrant adolescents, this multiple-case narrative study examined their home and school experiences from the critical sociocultural perspective. The adolescent stories about home testified to the significant influence of immigrant poverty, parental sacrificial altruism, and disciplinary Chinese…

  5. Children's narratives of post-divorce family life: From individual experience to an ethical disposition

    OpenAIRE

    Smart, Carol

    2006-01-01

    This article draws on interviews with 60 children and young people to explore how they construct narrative accounts of post-divorce family life. Rather than seeking to describe children's experiences as if their accounts are simple factual recollections, the focus of the article is on how young people position themselves in their narratives and the ways in which they construct their past experiences. It is argued that these narratives are multi-layered, often revealing ambivalence and contrad...

  6. Narrative Making and Remaking in the Early Years: Prelude to the Personal Narrative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller, Peggy J.; Chen, Eva Chian-Hui; Olivarez, Megan

    2014-01-01

    Although very young children are unable to formulate a personal narrative of the life course, their everyday lives are steeped in narratives. Drawing on ethnographic studies in diverse sociocultural worlds, we argue that the early years of life form a vital preamble to the personal narrative. In this phase of life, the universal predisposition to…

  7. Moral Emotions and Moral Judgments in Children's Narratives: Comparing Real-Life and Hypothetical Transgressions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gutzwiller-Helfenfinger, Eveline; Gasser, Luciano; Malti, Tina

    2010-01-01

    How children make meaning of their own social experiences in situations involving moral issues is central to their subsequent affective and cognitive moral learning. Our study of young children's narratives describing their interpersonal conflicts shows that the emotions and judgments constructed in the course of these real-life narratives differ…

  8. Schizophrenia, Narrative, and Neurocognition: The Utility of Life-Stories in Understanding Social Problem-Solving Skills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moe, Aubrey M; Breitborde, Nicholas J K; Bourassa, Kyle J; Gallagher, Colin J; Shakeel, Mohammed K; Docherty, Nancy M

    2018-01-22

    Schizophrenia researchers have focused on phenomenological aspects of the disorder to better understand its underlying nature. In particular, development of personal narratives-that is, the complexity with which people form, organize, and articulate their "life stories"-has recently been investigated in individuals with schizophrenia. However, less is known about how aspects of narrative relate to indicators of neurocognitive and social functioning. The objective of the present study was to investigate the association of linguistic complexity of life-story narratives to measures of cognitive and social problem-solving abilities among people with schizophrenia. Thirty-two individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia completed a research battery consisting of clinical interviews, a life-story narrative, neurocognitive testing, and a measure assessing multiple aspects of social problem solving. Narrative interviews were assessed for linguistic complexity using computerized technology. The results indicate differential relationships of linguistic complexity and neurocognition to domains of social problem-solving skills. More specifically, although neurocognition predicted how well one could both describe and enact a solution to a social problem, linguistic complexity alone was associated with accurately recognizing that a social problem had occurred. In addition, linguistic complexity appears to be a cognitive factor that is discernible from other broader measures of neurocognition. Linguistic complexity may be more relevant in understanding earlier steps of the social problem-solving process than more traditional, broad measures of cognition, and thus is relevant in conceptualizing treatment targets. These findings also support the relevance of developing narrative-focused psychotherapies. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  9. Jenny's story: reinventing oneself through occupation and narrative configuration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Price-Lackey, P; Cashman, J

    1996-04-01

    Two life history interviews were conducted to discover how one women, Jenny, experienced a traumatic head injury, rehabilitation, and recovery. Narrative analysis of the transcribed interviews revealed a rich story of how Jenny had fashioned her identity and character through childhood occupations, including studying classical literature and music, and of how she drew upon resources developed in childhood to engineer her recovery. It also illustrated how Jenny used a recursive process of narrative construction and engagement in self-devised graduated occupations, including studying, playing music, writing, computer graphics, and theater production, to create a new identity and develop capacities to process complex information and exercise creativity. Jenny's story illustrates the usefulness of gaining a perspective on patients as occupational beings through the gathering of life histories focused on occupation, the importance of collaborative patient-therapist goal setting, and the necessity for considering both the doing (practic) and the meaning (narrative) aspects of occupation. Her story supports many scholars' arguments that the therapeutic relationship, and thus occupational therapy practice, may be enhanced through the use of life history interviewing in occupational therapy evaluation and treatment.

  10. Exploring the Experiences of Living With Stroke Through Narrative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nasrin Nasr

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Chronic illness models are normally used to explain and predict the experience of living with a long-term condition. The aim of this study was to present the findings of narrative interviews with stroke survivors and their family carers to understand their experiences of stroke. We interviewed five people with stroke and three family carers from the United Kingdom. We used thematic analysis to generate themes from their narrative accounts and then linked them to broader theoretical perspectives while influenced by the concept of reinterpretation of life. The narrative accounts of participants are mainly structured based on how their changed bodies poststroke changed their identities and roles and consequently their relationships with others. In this study, we underline the need for using methods like narrative to explain strategies that people use to make sense of their experiences of living with a long-term condition such as stroke.

  11. Exploring the Experiences of Living With Stroke Through Narrative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasr, Nasrin; Mawson, Susan; Wright, Peter; Parker, Jack; Mountain, Gail

    2016-01-01

    Chronic illness models are normally used to explain and predict the experience of living with a long-term condition. The aim of this study was to present the findings of narrative interviews with stroke survivors and their family carers to understand their experiences of stroke. We interviewed five people with stroke and three family carers from the United Kingdom. We used thematic analysis to generate themes from their narrative accounts and then linked them to broader theoretical perspectives while influenced by the concept of reinterpretation of life. The narrative accounts of participants are mainly structured based on how their changed bodies poststroke changed their identities and roles and consequently their relationships with others. In this study, we underline the need for using methods like narrative to explain strategies that people use to make sense of their experiences of living with a long-term condition such as stroke. PMID:28462337

  12. [Identity and narration: autobiographical quests].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arfuch, Leonor

    2013-01-01

    This paper aims to tackle the subtle relation between autobiographical narratives and identity construction, from a non essentialist conception of identity. In a perspective that articulates philosophy of language, psychoanalysis, semiotics and literary critique, we posit the concept of biographical space as an analytical instrument to make a critical update of the reconfiguration of identities and subjectivities in contemporary culture, marked by the predominance of the biographical, the private and a kind of "public intimacy". This look is more symptomatic than descriptive: it intends to account for the rise of auto/biographical narratives and life-stories, from canonic genres to their multiple derivations in the media, social networks and the most diverse artistic practices, a phenomenon that seems to reaffirm the notion of narrative identities by Ricoeur. Our analysis here, from an ethic, aesthetic and political point of view, will focus on two visual arts experiences that have recently taken place for the first time in Buenos Aires: Christian Boltanski's and Tracey Emin's, solo exhibitions, each of them with a different biographical approach.

  13. Computerized coding system for life narratives to assess students' personality adaption

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    He, Q.; Veldkamp, B.P.; Westerhof, G.J.; Pechenizkiy, Mykola; Calders, Toon; Conati, Cristina; Ventura, Sebastian; Romero, Cristobal; Stamper, John

    2011-01-01

    The present study is a trial in developing an automatic computerized coding framework with text mining techniques to identify the characteristics of redemption and contamination in life narratives written by undergraduate students. In the initial stage of text classification, the keyword-based

  14. Work-Life Balance and Cultural Change: A Narrative of Eligibility

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lester, Jaime

    2013-01-01

    Using Schein's (1992) framework of cultural change, this study examined two institutions of higher education that have achieved or attempted a cultural change to understand if and how to develop a culture of work-life balance for faculty and staff. The results identified a narrative of eligibility that arose from the discourse of faculty…

  15. Theory and practice of clinical ethics support services: narrative and hermeneutical perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Porz, Rouven; Landeweer, Elleke; Widdershoven, Guy

    2011-09-01

    In this paper we introduce narrative and hermeneutical perspectives to clinical ethics support services (CESS). We propose a threefold consideration of 'theory' and show how it is interwoven with 'practice' as we go along. First, we look at theory in its foundational role: in our case 'narrative ethics' and 'philosophical hermeneutics' provide a theoretical base for clinical ethics by focusing on human identities entangled in stories and on moral understanding as a dialogical process. Second, we consider the role of theoretical notions in helping practitioners to understand their situation in clinical ethics practice, by using notions like 'story', 'responsibility', or 'vulnerability' to make explicit and explain their practical experience. Such theoretical notions help us to interpret clinical situations from an ethical perspective and to foster moral awareness of practitioners. And, thirdly, we examine how new theoretical concepts are developed by interpreting practice, using practice to form and improve our ethical theory. In this paper, we discuss this threefold use of theory in clinical ethics support services by reflecting on our own theoretical assumptions, methodological steps and practical experiences as ethicists, and by providing examples from our daily work. In doing so, we illustrate that theory and practice are interwoven, as theoretical understanding is dependent upon practical experience, and vice-versa. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Living in the Fragments of Dreams: Analysis of the Dual-Narrative Structure in Kenneth MacMillan's "Winter Dreams" from Narratological and Psychoanalytical Perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kodera, Ryota

    2012-01-01

    This essay investigates the ways dance narratives are constructed and aims to reconfirm the significance of dance narratives in the creation of meanings within dance practices. It draws on key concepts in narratology and psychoanalysis. These two critical perspectives are applied to the analysis of the narrative in Kenneth MacMillan's 1991 one-act…

  17. Book Review: The Social Life of Stories: Narrative and Knowledge in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Cruikshank, Julie. 1998. The Social Life of Stories: Narrative and Knowledge in the Yukon Territory. Columbia: UBC Press. Full Text: EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT EMAIL FREE FULL TEXT · DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT · Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons ...

  18. Knowledge of Love: Narratives of Romance Told by 12-Year-Old Children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haldar, Marit

    2013-01-01

    This article reports research on young people's conceptualisations of love and romance through a gender perspective. The data are stories written by 12-year-old girls and boys in Norway who were asked to fantasise about their future love life. Their narratives are explored through discourse analysis and semiotics and analysed within a sociological…

  19. Experiential narrative in game environments

    OpenAIRE

    Calleja, Gordon; Digital Games Research Association (DiGRA) 2009 Conference

    2009-01-01

    This paper explores the contentious notion of experiential narrative and proposes the first step in a narrative framework for game environment. It argues for a shift in emphasis from story-telling, the dominant mode of narrative in literature and cinema, to story generation. To this effect the paper forwards a perspective on experiential narrative that is grounded in the specific qualities of the game. This avoids the over-generalization that tends to accompany discussions of experiential nar...

  20. Health seeking narratives of unwell Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Melbourne Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Samuel, Sophia; Advocat, Jenny; Russell, Grant

    2018-03-01

    Sri Lankan Tamil refugees are among the largest group of refugees to resettle in Australia in the last decade. The aim of this study is to characterise the narratives of health-seeking among unwell Sri Lankan Tamil refugees in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Drawing on a qualitative, phenomenological perspective, we conducted in-depth interviews in Tamil and English with 12 participants who identified as being unwell for 6 months or more. Findings revealed three narratives of health-seeking: the search for the 'good life' that was lost or never experienced, seeking help from familiar channels in an unfamiliar context, and the desire for financial and occupational independence. These three narratives are undergirded by the metanarrative of a hope-filled recovery. These narratives of Tamil refugees' lived experience provide new insights into clinical care and health service delivery.

  1. Narrative self-appropriation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Køster, Allan

    2017-01-01

    is profoundly saturated by an alienness regarding the person’s own affects and responses. However, the balance of familiarity and alienness is not static, but can be cultivated through e.g. psychotherapy. Following this line of thought, I present the idea that narrativising experiences can play an important...... role in processes of appropriating such embodied self-alienness. Importantly, the notion of narrative used is that of a scalar conception of narrativity as a variable quality of experience that comes in degrees. From this perspective, narrative appropriation is a process of gradually attributing...

  2. Some Life History Narratives of Religious Education Coordinators in Catholic Schools

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rymarz, Richard; Belmonte, Angelo

    2014-01-01

    This paper seeks to gain a better understanding of religious education coordinators (RECs) in contemporary Catholic schools. This is done by using life history narratives to explore how participants came to be RECs. This study takes place in a wider cultural context that sees strong religious commitment, manifested by taking leadership positions…

  3. Why might you use narrative methodology? A story about narrative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lynn McAlpine

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available Narrative is one of many qualitative methodologies that can be brought to bear in collecting and analysing data and reporting results, though it is not as frequently used as say in case studies. This article provides a window into its use, from the perspective of a researcher who has used it consistently over the past decade to examine early career researcher experience – doctoral students, and those who have completed their degrees and are advancing their careers. This experience has contributed to a robust understanding of the potential of narrative, as well as its limitations. This paper first lays out the broad landscape of narrative research and then makes transparent the thinking, processes and procedures involved in the ten-year narrative study including the potential for creativity that narrative invites. The goal is to engage other researchers to consider exploring the use of narrative – if it aligns with their epistemological stance.

  4. The End of a Noble Narrative?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Manners, Ian James; Murray, Philomena

    2016-01-01

    the construction and application of an analytical framework drawing on different theoretical perspectives. This framework is then applied to six European integration narratives to demonstrate the value of a narrative approach. The article concludes that narrative analysis provides a means of understanding both EU......, the Nobel Prize and the search for a ‘new narrative for Europe’ demonstrate that the processes of European integration are always narrated as sense-making activities – stories people tell to make sense of their reality. This article argues in favour of a narrative approach to European integration through...

  5. Modeling Narrative Discourse

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elson, David K.

    2012-01-01

    This thesis describes new approaches to the formal modeling of narrative discourse. Although narratives of all kinds are ubiquitous in daily life, contemporary text processing techniques typically do not leverage the aspects that separate narrative from expository discourse. We describe two approaches to the problem. The first approach considers…

  6. [Sexual initiation, masculinity and health: narratives of young men].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rebello, Lúcia Emilia Figueiredo de Sousa; Gomes, Romeu

    2009-01-01

    The main objective of this study was to analyze the narratives of young university students about the experience of sexual initiation. The theoretical and conceptual references used were the sexual scripts of our society that inform people about when, how, where and with whom they should have their sexual experiences, indicating how to act sexually and the reasons why they have to practice some kind of sexual activity. The method used was a qualitative study of narratives from the perspective of dialectic hermeneutics. The methodological design involves the comprehension of sceneries, contexts, environments and characters of the narratives about sexual initiation. The analysis refers to narratives of university students in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Among the meanings of sexual initiation, we emphasize sexual intercourse, the demarcation of a stage of life, the awakening to the opposite sex and the discovery of the body. We observed that the young men's narratives were coherent with what is considered masculine, present in the discourse of different generations. It is concluded that the young men should be encouraged to participate in actions combining health and education aimed at promotion of sexual and reproductive health.

  7. Interactive digital narrative history, theory and practice

    CERN Document Server

    Koenitz, Hartmut; Haahr, Mads; Sezen, Digdem; Sezen, Tonguç Ibrahim

    2015-01-01

    The book is concerned with narrative in digital media that changes according to user input-Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN). It provides a broad overview of current issues and future directions in this multi-disciplinary field that includes humanities-based and computational perspectives. It assembles the voices of leading researchers and practitioners like Janet Murray, Marie-Laure Ryan, Scott Rettberg and Martin Rieser. In three sections, it covers history, theoretical perspectives and varieties of practice including narrative game design, with a special focus on changes in the power rela

  8. A Day in the Life (and Death) of a Public University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, Frances

    2015-01-01

    This is a narrative of an actual day in the author's working life at a large public university in the southern hemisphere. It is an enquiry into life, and death, at the university. It attempts to balance a critical and informed perspective with a lived perspective and, as a story that contributes to a developing genre of academic writing, it works…

  9. Characterizing Lifespan Development of Three Aspects of Coherence in Life Narratives: A Cohort-Sequential Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Köber, Christin; Schmiedek, Florian; Habermas, Tilmann

    2015-01-01

    The ability to narrate stories and a synchronic self-concept develop in the pre- and primary school years. Life story theory proposes that both developments extend to an even later developmental stage, that is, to adolescents' acquisition of a coherent life story. Cross-sectional evidence supports the emergence of a life story in adolescence, but…

  10. Understanding physical activity participation in spinal cord injured populations: Three narrative types for consideration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papathomas, Anthony; Williams, Toni L.; Smith, Brett

    2015-01-01

    The aim of this study was to identity the types of physical activity narratives drawn upon by active spinal injured people. More than 50 h of semi-structured life-story interview data, collected as part of larger interdisciplinary program of disability lifestyle research, was analysed for 30 physically active male and female spinal cord injury (SCI) participants. A structural narrative analysis of data identified three narrative types which people with SCI draw on: (1) exercise is restitution, (2) exercise is medicine, and (3) exercise is progressive redemption. These insights contribute new knowledge by adding a unique narrative perspective to existing cognitive understanding of physical activity behaviour in the spinal cord injured population. The implications of this narrative typology for developing effective positive behavioural change interventions are critically discussed. It is concluded that the identified narratives types may be constitutive, as well as reflective, of physical activity experiences and therefore may be a useful tool on which to base physical activity promotion initiatives. PMID:26282868

  11. Understanding physical activity participation in spinal cord injured populations: Three narrative types for consideration

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anthony Papathomas

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to identity the types of physical activity narratives drawn upon by active spinal injured people. More than 50 h of semi-structured life-story interview data, collected as part of larger interdisciplinary program of disability lifestyle research, was analysed for 30 physically active male and female spinal cord injury (SCI participants. A structural narrative analysis of data identified three narrative types which people with SCI draw on: (1 exercise is restitution, (2 exercise is medicine, and (3 exercise is progressive redemption. These insights contribute new knowledge by adding a unique narrative perspective to existing cognitive understanding of physical activity behaviour in the spinal cord injured population. The implications of this narrative typology for developing effective positive behavioural change interventions are critically discussed. It is concluded that the identified narratives types may be constitutive, as well as reflective, of physical activity experiences and therefore may be a useful tool on which to base physical activity promotion initiatives.

  12. Unfinalisability and the authorship of life - Narratives of young-old women from Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kok, Jin Kuan; Li, Ming-Chin

    2017-08-01

    This study investigates and presents the narratives of Taiwanese women who have reached the young-old stage. The narrative interview method was used for data collection from 12 Taiwanese women. After analysing the recurring themes emerging from the women's life histories, it is found that the meanings of these Taiwanese women's narratives could not be finalised according to traditional Confucian norms. These women rebelled, resisted, and resumed authorship to make changes to their lives in a patriarchal society. The women were reflexive, and had constant struggles. The findings also reveal a prominent characteristic of Taiwanese culture that emphasises relationships. The women were able to pursue their dreams to involve themselves in self-care, leisure, aesthetic activities, and classes for their personal growth and pleasure. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Music and Health Promotion - In the Life of Music Therapy and Music Psychology Researchers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bonde, Lars Ole

    2014-01-01

    on music and identity and more specifically to the author’s study of health themes in the musical autobiographies of music therapy students at Aalborg University (DK). The analysis shows that there are some specific themes in the professional’s narratives, however, the researchers are very much in line......In August 2013 Center for Music and Health published its first anthology in English on ‘Musical Life Stories’. 17 authors from 6 countries present their research on the influence of music in a lifelong health perspective. A unique feature in the book is a collection of “personal narratives......” by the authors. In a free form each author wrote a short narrative of music’s influence on their identity and health in a life span perspective. The present article is a thematic analysis of these 13 narratives. The themes identified are briefly related more generally to the international research literature...

  14. Life support and euthanasia, a perspective on Shaw's new perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Busch, Jacob; Rodogno, Raffaele

    2011-02-01

    It has recently been suggested by Shaw (2007) that the distinction between voluntary active euthanasia, such as giving a patient a lethal overdose with the intention of ending that patient's life, and voluntary passive euthanasia, such as removing a patient from a ventilator, is much less obvious than is commonly acknowledged in the literature. This is argued by suggesting a new perspective that more accurately reflects the moral features of end-of-life situations. The argument is simply that if we consider the body of a mentally competent patient who wants to die, a kind of 'unwarranted' life support, then the distinction collapses. We argue that all Shaw has provided is a perspective that makes the conclusion that there is little distinction between voluntary active euthanasia and voluntary passive euthanasia only seemingly more palatable. In doing so he has yet to convince us that this perspective is superior to other perspectives and thus more accurately reflects the moral features of the situations pertaining to this issue.

  15. Taking the Scientist's Perspective - The Nonfiction Narrative Engages Episodic Memory to Enhance Students' Understanding of Scientists and Their Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larison, Karen D.

    2018-03-01

    The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) mandates that schools provide students an understanding of the skills and knowledge that scientists use to engage in scientific practices. In this article, I argue that one of the best ways to accomplish this goal is to have students take the perspective of the scientist by reading nonfiction narratives written by scientists and science writers. I explore the anthropological and neurological evidence that suggests that perspective-taking is an essential component in the learning process. It has been shown that by around age 4, the human child begins to be able to take the perspective of others—a process that neuroscientists have shown engages episodic memory, a memory type that some neurocognitive scientists believe is central in organizing human cognition. Neuroscientists have shown that the brain regions in which episodic memory resides undergo pronounced anatomical changes during adolescence, suggesting that perspective-taking assumes an even greater role in cognition during adolescence and young adulthood. Moreover, I argue that the practice of science itself is narrative in nature. With each new observation and experiment, the scientist is acting to reveal an emerging story. It is the story-like nature of science that motivates the scientist to push onward with new experiments and new observations. It is also the story-like nature of the practice of science that can potentially engage the student. The classroom studies that I review here confirm the power of the narrative in increasing students' understanding of science.

  16. Taking the Scientist's Perspective. The Nonfiction Narrative Engages Episodic Memory to Enhance Students' Understanding of Scientists and Their Practices

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larison, Karen D.

    2018-03-01

    The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013) mandates that schools provide students an understanding of the skills and knowledge that scientists use to engage in scientific practices. In this article, I argue that one of the best ways to accomplish this goal is to have students take the perspective of the scientist by reading nonfiction narratives written by scientists and science writers. I explore the anthropological and neurological evidence that suggests that perspective-taking is an essential component in the learning process. It has been shown that by around age 4, the human child begins to be able to take the perspective of others—a process that neuroscientists have shown engages episodic memory, a memory type that some neurocognitive scientists believe is central in organizing human cognition. Neuroscientists have shown that the brain regions in which episodic memory resides undergo pronounced anatomical changes during adolescence, suggesting that perspective-taking assumes an even greater role in cognition during adolescence and young adulthood. Moreover, I argue that the practice of science itself is narrative in nature. With each new observation and experiment, the scientist is acting to reveal an emerging story. It is the story-like nature of science that motivates the scientist to push onward with new experiments and new observations. It is also the story-like nature of the practice of science that can potentially engage the student. The classroom studies that I review here confirm the power of the narrative in increasing students' understanding of science.

  17. Short Research Report: Exploring Resilience Development in a Taiwanese Preschooler's Narrative--An Emerging Theoretical Mode

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Kuan-Ling Olivia

    2016-01-01

    It is important to foster resilience in early childhood as this quality is, according to this author, "an individual's progressing development to adjust to life difficulties." This narrative study provides a cultural perspective by investigating a Taiwanese context and shifts the attention to preschoolers' resilience development in both…

  18. Being disconnected from life: meanings of existential loneliness as narrated by frail older people.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjöberg, Marina; Beck, Ingela; Rasmussen, Birgit H; Edberg, Anna-Karin

    2017-07-17

    This study illuminated the meanings of existential loneliness (EL) as narrated by frail older people. Data were collected through individual narrative interviews with 23 people 76-101 years old receiving long-term care and services. A phenomenological hermeneutical analysis was performed, including a naïve reading and two structural analyses as a basis for a comprehensive understanding of EL. Four themes were identified related to meanings of EL: (1) being trapped in a frail and deteriorating body; (2) being met with indifference; (3) having nobody to share life with; and (4) lacking purpose and meaning. These intertwined themes were synthesized into a comprehensive understanding of EL as 'being disconnected from life'. Illness and physical limitation affects access to the world. When being met with indifference and being unable to share one's thoughts and experiences of life with others, a sense of worthlessness is reinforced, triggering an experience of meaninglessness and EL, i.e. disconnection from life. It is urgent to develop support strategies that can be used by health care professionals to address older people in vulnerable situations, thereby facilitating connectedness.

  19. Gender Differences in Adolescents' Autobiographical Narratives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fivush, Robyn; Bohanek, Jennifer G.; Zaman, Widaad; Grapin, Sally

    2012-01-01

    In this study, the authors examined gender differences in narratives of positive and negative life experiences during middle adolescence, a critical period for the development of identity and a life narrative (Habermas & Bluck, 2000; McAdams, 2001). Examining a wider variety of narrative meaning-making devices than previous research, they found…

  20. Poetics of Narrative in Antoine Volodine’s Novels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Victoriya Chub

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Antoine Volodine is reputed for inventing new forms in the French literature at the turn of XX–XXI centuries. Our study is dedicated to Volodine’s narrative structure, i.e. the stratification of narrative instances, the depersonalization of narrator and characters, the metanarrativization of story. Antoine Volodine creates a fictional world of uncertain characters floating between life and death and telling their stories in polyphonic voices. First, our study revealed the lack of demarcation between “I” and “we” and the blend of narrative levels created by ambivalent voices merging into a single “post-exotic horn”. Second, we discovered that metatextual comments and narrative figures of “mise en abyme” and metalepsis help to “alienate” the text and dramatize the relations between the author and readers. As a result, a specific “textual fiction” is being created to embody philosophical problems in Volodine’s meta-utopic novels. Finally, the research determined a set of poetical dominants typical for Volodine’s novels: the interference of homo- and heterodiegetic narrator instances, the uncertain nature of narrators and characters, the polyphonic character of voices as well as metatextual and transgressive structures. It was concluded that the revealed poetical dominants are not only a part of the literary game, but a specific way to represent the speech act. Antoine Volodine’s multilevel narrators share common mental pictures that show the experience of defeat, marginalization and imprisonment. The specific narrative structure helps the writer to create the effect of ambiguity and vagueness, adds a bit of doubt in the act of perception of his novels, updates the metaphysical perspective of the postmodern anti-utopia.

  1. Narratives of being 'a good teacher'

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dahl, Kari Kragh Blume

    Narratives of being ‘a good teacher’: everyday life, morality and teachers’ narratives in a Kenyan village This paper explores how Kenyan school teachers narrate and practise professional work in their everyday lives in an educational context shaped by global and local narratives of education...... or her ideas about the world, which is used to organise experiences (Høyen, 2016). The study also draws on everyday life learning (Schütz, 1973; Heller, 1984) and the social anthropology of morality (Kleinman, 1992) to explore how teachers’ narrative learning comprises processes that are not only...... in western Kenya provided a framework for observing how teachers’ narratives as professionals became mediated through sociocultural forces and everyday life in school, at home and during their spare time. Empirically, the study explores four school teachers and their unique and diverse understandings of what...

  2. Consistency and stability of narrative coherence: An examination of personal narrative as a domain of adult personality.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waters, Theodore E A; Köber, Christin; Raby, K Lee; Habermas, Tilmann; Fivush, Robyn

    2018-03-02

    Narrative theories of personality assume that individual differences in coherence reflect consistent and stable differences in narrative style rather than situational and event-specific differences (e.g., McAdams & McLean, 2013). However, this assumption has received only modest empirical attention. Therefore, we present two studies testing the theoretical assumption of a consistent and stable coherent narrative style. Study 1 focused on the two most traumatic and most positive life events of 224 undergraduates. These event-specific narratives were coded for three coherence dimensions: theme, context, and chronology (NaCCs; Reese et al., 2011). Study 2 focused on two life narratives told 4 years apart by 98 adults, which were coded for thematic, causal, and temporal coherence (Köber, Schmiedek, & Habermas, 2015). Confirmatory factor analysis in both studies revealed that individual differences in the coherence ratings were best explained by a model including both narrative style and event-/narration-specific latent variables. The ways in which we tell autobiographical narratives reflect a stable feature of individual differences. Further, they suggest that this stable element of personality is necessary, but not sufficient, in accounting for specific event and life narrative coherence. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. Personal history, beyond narrative

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Køster, Allan

    2017-01-01

    on a distinction between history and narrative, I outline an account of historical becoming through a process of sedimentation and a rich notion of what I call historical selfhood on an embodied level. Five embodied existentials are suggested, sketching a preliminary understanding of how selves are concretely......Narrative theories currently dominate our understanding of how selfhood is constituted and concretely individuated throughout personal history. Despite this success, the narrative perspective has recently been exposed to a range of critiques. Whilst these critiques have been effective in pointing...... out the shortcomings of narrative theories of selfhood, they have been less willing and able to suggest alternative ways of understanding personal history. In this article, I assess the criticisms and argue that an adequate phenomenology of personal history must also go beyond narrative. Drawing...

  4. Perspectives for the Development of a Working Life Policy

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hvid, Helge; Hasle, Peter

    2003-01-01

    A discussion of the perspectives in a working life policy with development of both a humane working life and productivity.......A discussion of the perspectives in a working life policy with development of both a humane working life and productivity....

  5. Intentionality and Narrativity in Phenomenological Psychological ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Christopher R Stones

    2014-10-02

    Oct 2, 2014 ... ... analysis. Likewise, it is argued that Ricoeur's work on narrativity and narrative ... method of Husserl's static phenomenological analysis .... the possibility of description in a qualitative research ... theoretical perspective, assumption, hypothesis, and so on” .... every case the noetic constitution of the object is.

  6. "Could I return to my life?" Integrated Narrative Nursing Model in Education (INNE).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Artioli, Giovanna; Foà, Chiara; Cosentino, Chiara; Sulla, Francesco; Sollami, Alfonso; Taffurelli, Chiara

    2018-03-28

    The Integrated Narrative Nursing Model (INNM) is an approach that integrates the qualitative methodology typical of the human sciences, with the quantitative methodology more often associated with the natural sciences. This complex model, which combines a focus on narrative with quantitative measures, has recently been effectively applied to the assessment of chronic patients. In this study, the model is applied to the planning phase of education (Integrated Narrative Nursing Education, INNE), and proves to be a valid instrument for the promotion of the current educational paradigm that is centered on the engagement of both the patient and the caregiver in their own path of care. The aim of this study is therefore to describe the nurse's strategy in the planning of an educational intervention by using the INNE model. The case of a 70-year-old woman with pulmonary neoplasm is described at her first admission to Hospice. Each step conducted by the reference nurse, who uses INNE to record the nurse-patient narrative and collect subsequent questionnaires in order to create a shared educational plan, is also described. The information collected was submitted, starting from a grounded methodology to the following four levels of analysis: I. Needs Assessment, II. Narrative Diagnosis, III. Quantitative Outcome, IV. Integrated Outcome. Step IV, which is derived from the integration of all levels of analysis, allows a nurse to define, even graphically, the conceptual map of a patient's needs, resources and perspectives, in a completely tailored manner. The INNE model offers a valid methodological support for the professional who intends to educate the patient through an inter-subjective and engaged pathway, between the professional, their patient and the socio-relational context. It is a matter of adopting a complex vision that combines processes and methods that require a steady scientific basis and advanced methodological expertise with active listening and empathy

  7. Real life narratives enhance learning about the 'art and science' of midwifery practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilkison, Andrea; Giddings, Lynne; Smythe, Liz

    2016-03-01

    Health professional educators have long grappled with how to teach the more elusive art of practice alongside the science (a term that encompasses the sort of professional knowledge that can be directly passed on). A competent practitioner is one who knows when, how and for whom to apply knowledge and skills, thereby making the links between theory and practice. They combine art and science in such a way that integrates knowledge with insight. This participatory hermeneutic study explored the experience of teachers and students of implementing a narrative-centred curriculum in undergraduate midwifery education. It revealed that when real life narratives were central to the learning environment, students' learning about the art of midwifery practice was enhanced as they learned about midwifery decisions, reflected on their own values and beliefs and felt an emotional connection with the narrator. Further, art and science became melded together in the context specific wisdom of practice (phronesis).

  8. African American Elders’ Serious Illness Experiences: Narratives of “God Did,” “God Will,” and “Life Is Better”

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coats, Heather; Crist, Janice D.; Berger, Ann; Sternberg, Esther; Rosenfeld, Anne G.

    2017-01-01

    The foundation of culturally sensitive patient-centered palliative care is formed from one’s social, spiritual, psychological, and physical experiences of serious illness. The purpose of this study was to describe categories and patterns of psychological, social, and spiritual healing from the perspectives of aging seriously ill African American (AA) elders. Using narrative analysis methodology, 13 open-ended interviews were collected. Three main patterns were “prior experiences,” “I changed,” and “across past, present experiences and future expectations.” Themes were categorized within each pattern: been through it … made me strong, I thought about … others, went down little hills … got me down, I grew stronger, changed priorities, do things I never would have done, quit doing, God did and will take care of me, close-knit relationships, and life is better. “Faith” in God helped the aging seriously ill AA elders “overcome things,” whether their current illness or other life difficulties. PMID:26701962

  9. Identity as a narrative of autobiography

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luba Jakubowska

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This article is a proposal of identity research through its process and narrative character. As a starting point I present a definition of identity understood as the whole life process of finding identification. Next I present my own model of auto/biography-narrative research inspired by hermeneutic and phenomenological traditions of thinking about experiencing reality. I treat auto/biography-narrative research as a means of exploratory conduct, based on the narrator’s biography data, also considering the researcher’s autobiographical thought. In the final part of the article I focus on showing the narrative structure of identity and autobiography. I emphasise this relation in definitions qualifying autobiography as written life narration and identity as a narration of autobiography.

  10. Narrative health psychology: Once more unto the breach: editorial

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Sools, Anna Maria; Murray, Michael; Westerhof, Gerben Johan

    2015-01-01

    In this editorial, we position narrative health psychology as a variety of narrative psychology, a form of qualitative research in health psychology, and a psychological perspective that falls under the interdisciplinary term narrative health research. The aim of this positioning is to explore what

  11. Genes and life-style factors in BELFAST nonagenarians: Nature, Nurture and Narrative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rea, Jennifer Nicola M; Carvalho, Ashley; McNerlan, Susan E; Alexander, H Denis; Rea, Irene Maeve

    2015-10-01

    Understanding how to 'Age Longer and Age Well' is a priority for people personally, for populations globally and for government policy. Nonagenarians are the oldest members of our societies and survivors of their generation. Approximately 10 % of nonagenarians reach 90 years and beyond in good condition and seem to have a combination of both age-span and health-span. But what are the factors which help people reach their ninetieth birthday and beyond in good condition? Are they genetics, as in 'nature', or do they depend on 'nurture' and are related to environment, or are both factors inextricably intertwined within the concept of behavioural genetics? Nonagenarians have rich life experiences that can teach us much about ageing well; they are reservoirs of genetic, life-style and behavioural information which can help dissect out how to live not only longer but better. Personal family history and narrative are powerful tools that help to determine familial traits, beliefs and social behaviours and when used in parallel with new biotechnology methods inform and elaborate causality. Here we present themes and insights from personal narrative enquiry from nonagenarian participants from the Belfast Elderly Longitudinal Free-living Ageing STudy (BELFAST) about factors they consider important for good quality ageing and relate these insights to the emerging genetics and life-style evidence associated with healthy longevity.

  12. Patients' and carers' perspectives of palliative care in general practice: A systematic review with narrative synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Green, Emilie; Knight, Selena; Gott, Merryn; Barclay, Stephen; White, Patrick

    2018-04-01

    General practitioners have overall responsibility for community care, including towards end of life. Current policy places generalists at the centre of palliative care provision. However, little is known about how patients and carers understand the general practitioner's role. To explore patient and carer perspectives of (1) the role of the general practitioner in providing palliative care to adult patients and (2) the facilitators and barriers to the general practitioner's capacity to fulfil this perceived role. Systematic literature review and narrative synthesis. Seven electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, BNI, CINAHL, Cochrane and HMIC) were searched from inception to May 2017. Two reviewers independently screened papers at title, abstract and full-text stages. Grey literature, guideline, hand searches of five journals and reference list/citation searches of included papers were undertaken. Data were extracted, tabulated and synthesised using narrative, thematic analysis. A total of 25 studies were included: 14 employed qualitative methods, 8 quantitative survey methods and 3 mixed-methods. Five key themes were identified: continuity of care, communication between primary and secondary care, contact and accessibility, communication between general practitioner and patient, and knowledge and competence. Although the terminology and context of general practice vary internationally, themes relating to the perceived role of general practitioners were consistent. General practitioners are considered well placed to provide palliative care due to their breadth of clinical responsibility, ongoing relationships with patients and families, and duty to visit patients at home and coordinate healthcare resources. These factors, valued by service users, should influence future practice and policy development.

  13. An Animal-Centered Perspective on Colonial Oppression: Animal Representations and the Narrating Ox in Uwe Timm’s ‘‘Morenga’’ (1978

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steffen Röhrs

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available As a result of its topic and its narrative style, Uwe Timm’s novel ‘Morenga’ (1978 marks an important step in the development of postcolonial German literature. The main theme of the book is the bloody suppression of the Herero and the Nama uprisings through the German army in South-West Africa at the beginning of the 20th century. With recourse to historical and fictional documents and by using different narrative perspectives, the text achieves a plurality of voices and thereby destabilizes a one-dimensional view on colonialism. The present article discusses the functions of the nonhuman animals appearing in ‘Morenga’. It is assumed that the animal representations are an essential part of the plot and underscore the criticism of colonial rule in a narrative manner too. The novel contains several descriptions of suffering animals and links them to the harm of the Herero and the Nama in order to point out the ruthlessness of the colonists. Moreover, the book features a story-telling ox, which initiates a reflection process about possible ways of narrating colonial history. The talking ox adds a specific animal-centered perspective on colonial oppression and raises questions about emancipation, self-determination, and the agency of the nonhuman ‘other’

  14. Revolution, modernity, and the potential of narratives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksson, Birgit

    2013-01-01

    The article investigates the impact of the French Revolution on Goethe’s narrative works in the mid-1790s. I argue that the reductive interpretation of Goethe’s attitude to the Revolution as distant and reluctant ignores the formal and thematic impact of the Revolution on his prose works. Similarly......, we lose important perspectives when reducing German intellectual life of the late eighteenth century to apolitical inwardness. The Revolution had an impact, also in the German context, and Goethe’s literary works were significantly affected by it. Working in various literary genres, he investigated...... and experimented with some of the fundamental challenges of the Revolution and the modern era, especially those regarding self-determination, community, and the nexus between individual and shared history. Following a brief sketch of how these issues looked from a German perspective, I will focus on Goethe’s...

  15. Narrating Science and Religion. Storytelling Strategies in Journey of the Universe

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nancy Menning

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available While scientific and religious narratives use distinct discourse strategies to reach different audiences, the documentary film Journey of the Universe combines scientific and humanistic perspectives to narrate the origin and evolution of the universe, life on Earth, and human consciousness. This science-based mythic telling of the universe story foregrounds science to enhance the story’s plausibility while using mythic elements to invite an ethical response. We evaluate how this film blends scientific and mythic storytelling strategies to present a plausible story with moral force. Journey of the Universe presents an image of humanity as naturally emerging from an increasingly complex cosmos, capable of profound wonder, and poised to use its intellectual gifts to renew the face of the earth. We argue that narrative strategies aligning scientific content with the viewer’s personal experiences of nature are generally effective, and that the film’s focus on the local and terrestrial, even in the midst of the vastness of the cosmos, supports its ecological message.

  16. Luxury Experiences over the Life Course

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    von Wallpach, Sylvia; Bauer, Martina; Hemetsberger, Andrea

    2014-01-01

    This study adopts a life course perspective to broaden our current understanding of the complex nature of consumer luxury experiences. Narrative biographical interviews with members of Generation Y elicit how luxury experiences over the life course relate to significant individual life events...... and illuminate how the macro- and micro-environment bring about changes in Generation Y’s luxury experiences. Essentially, luxury experiences relate to changes in the technological, social, economic, cultural, and individual environment. Our findings have important implications for luxury brand managers...

  17. Time, Story, and Wisdom: Emerging Themes in Narrative Gerontology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randall, William Lowell; Kenyon, Gary M.

    2004-01-01

    Narrative approaches in the field of aging are receiving increasing attention by theorists and practitioners alike. This article draws on recent thinking in narrative gerontology to look at three aspects of aging on which a narrative perspective can shed further light. In relation to the temporal aspects, the notion of storytime is examined.…

  18. Resisting Anorexia/Bulimia: Foucauldian Perspectives in Narrative Therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lock, Andrew; Epston, David; Maisel, Richard; de Faria, Natasha

    2005-01-01

    Foucault's analysis of unseen power as it operates in discourses that construct "practices of discipline" and "technologies of the self" has been a central conceptual resource in the development of narrative therapy. Narrative therapists take the view that ?unseen aspects of power work to construct both how a person understands their situation,…

  19. Physician Religion and End-of-Life Pediatric Care: A Qualitative Examination of Physicians' Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bateman, Lori Brand; Clair, Jeffrey Michael

    2015-01-01

    Physician religion/spirituality has the potential to influence the communication between physicians and parents of children at the end of life. In order to explore this relationship, the authors conducted two rounds of narrative interviews to examine pediatric physicians' perspectives (N=17) of how their religious/spiritual beliefs affect end-of-life communication and care. Grounded theory informed the design and analysis of the study. As a proxy for religiosity/spirituality, physicians were classified into the following groups based on the extent to which religious/spiritual language was infused into their responses: Religiously Rich Responders (RRR), Moderately Religious Responders (MRR), and Low Religious Responders (LRR). Twelve of the 17 participants (71%) were classified into the RRR or MRR groups. The majority of participants suggested that religion/spirituality played a role in their practice of medicine and communication with parents in a myriad of ways and to varying degrees. Participants used their religious/spiritual beliefs to support families' spirituality, uphold hope, participate in prayer, and alleviate their own emotional distress emerging from their patients' deaths.

  20. A developmental perspective on early-life exposure to neurotoxicants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bellinger, David C; Matthews-Bellinger, Julia A; Kordas, Katarzyna

    2016-09-01

    Studies of early-life neurotoxicant exposure have not been designed, analyzed, or interpreted in the context of a fully developmental perspective. The goal of this paper is to describe the key principles of a developmental perspective and to use examples from the literature to illustrate the relevance of these principles to early-life neurotoxicant exposures. Four principles are discussed: 1) the effects of early-life neurotoxicant exposure depend on a child's developmental context; 2) deficits caused by early-life exposure initiate developmental cascades that can lead to pathologies that differ from those observed initially; 3) early-life neurotoxicant exposure has intra-familial and intergenerational impacts; 4) the impacts of early-life neurotoxicant exposure influence a child's ability to respond to future insults. The first principle is supported by considerable evidence, but the other three have received much less attention. Incorporating a developmental perspective in studies of early-life neurotoxicant exposures requires prospective collection of data on a larger array of covariates than usually considered, using analytical approaches that acknowledge the transactional processes between a child and the environment and the phenomenon of developmental cascades. Consideration of early-life neurotoxicant exposure within a developmental perspective reveals that many issues remain to be explicated if we are to achieve a deep understanding of the societal health burden associated with early-life neurotoxicant exposures. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Narrative in the social health research: perspective and Method

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marilyn Kay Nations

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available The narrative is a research technique that has been used in Medical Anthropology research as an access form to illness experience and its reconstruction. The illness experience, in fact, has been recognized by medical anthropology authors as indispensable to the establishment of a more empatic and ethic dialogue among health professional and patient and his/her social network. Thus, in the health research issues, valorization of illness experience means it’s necessary to eliciate narratives, both in the care and in the research. In this article, we linked the illness experience concept and structure to the narrative concept and structure, describing its contributions to research, the research types in what it can be used, the types of narratives in that the human experiences are translated, the procedures for its eliciation, as well as the techniques of analysis of data obtained in the fieldwork. In respect to these techniques, we describe here three: (1 the analysis of narratives proposed by Shütze; (2 the Thematic Content Analysis; and (3 the technique of the Collective Subject’s Speech.

  2. Narrating Motherhood as Experience and Institution: Experimental Life-Writing in Mary Kelly’s Post-Partum Document (1973–79

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wierzchowska Justyna

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available This article explores American visual artist Mary Kelly’s autobiographical work Post-partum document in reference to the politics of life writing. Resorting to Lacanian psychoanalysis, a pastiche of scientific narratives and other (auto-narrative strategies, in her work Kelly documented the first five years of her son’s life from his weaning from the breast until the day when he wrote his name. By documenting her child’s development, the artist also recorded the process of her own formation as a maternal subject, a formation gradually worked out through an evolving relationship with her son. In her work, the artist made vivid the incompatibility and limitations of various narrative frameworks in retelling a fundamentally relational experience that verges on the mental and bodily, and which is necessarily mediated by the patriarchal ideology. This article analyses Kelly’s conflicting narrative strategies that fail to successfully represent the mother-child formative relationship and which demonstrate the mother’s ideological alienation. It reads Kelly’s work politically, exploring the ways in which Post-partum document’s (auto-narrative voices address questions and dilemmas of the feminine/maternal subject, the subject’s formation, and the limits of its (self- representation within patriarchy. The article argues that Kelly challenges the traditional autobiographic genre by attending to her lived experience as a mother and the culturally repressed maternal desire.

  3. Conservation narratives and contested protected areas in Zambia: a ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Conservation narratives and contested protected areas in Zambia: a political ecological analysis. ... Mgbakoigba: Journal of African Studies ... This paper uses a political ecological perspective to examine the link between environmental conservation narratives and resource conflicts and degradation in Zambia's protected ...

  4. Distanciation in Ricoeur's theory of interpretation: narrations in a study of life experiences of living with chronic illness and home mechanical ventilation

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dreyer, Pia S.; Pedersen, Birthe D

    2009-01-01

    , and this concept of distanciation will be illustrated with reference to narrations from a study of patient's life experiences living with chronic illness and home mechanical ventilation in Denmark. Distanciation in the interpretation objectifies the text, and narration in a poetic language creates a particular...

  5. Determinants of participating in life after spinal cord injury - advice for health professionals arising from an examination of shared narratives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amsters, Delena; Duncan, James; Field, Victoria; Smales, Alastair; Zillmann, Leanne; Kendall, Melissa; Kuipers, Pim

    2017-08-23

    To explore the perceived determinants of participation in life after spinal cord injury and incorporate these into a framework for the promotion of participation suitable for use by rehabilitation professionals. Four people with spinal cord injury and one health service researcher engaged in a process of sharing narratives of life after spinal cord injury over a period of one year. The narratives were distilled using thematic analysis. The relevant subset of data from the narratives categorized as This is what we think determines our participation in life was analyzed in depth to reveal nine themes (1) The world can be my friend or foe; (2) I am who I am; (3) It is a personal journey; (4) Some like to talk, others like to do; (5) We have the technology; (6) A support network is vital and it can be built; (7) Life involves tradeoffs; (8) Push; and (9) Be flexible. These themes were combined into a framework for the promotion of participation to be used by rehabilitation professionals. The collaboratively developed framework has three aspects - Help me, Encourage me and Accept. The proposed participation promotion framework is grounded in the narratives of the research group but needs to be tested before it can be endorsed for practice. Implications for Rehabilitation In order to promote participation in life after spinal cord injury rehabilitation professionals can help people with spinal cord injury to negotiate the world, build and maintain a support crew and access equipment and technology. Spinal cord injury rehabilitation professionals can encourage people with spinal cord injury to push themselves, be assertive and be flexible, as these attributes can assist participation in life after spinal cord injury. In the pursuit of participation goals, rehabilitation professionals must accept the individuality of each person with spinal cord injury, respect that they may or may not be willing to make tradeoffs to achieve participation goals and that they are on an ever

  6. Narrative ethics in nursing for persons with intellectual disabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meininger, Herman P

    2005-04-01

    Both in The Netherlands and in Britain, practices of 'life story work' have emerged in nursing for persons with intellectual disabilities. The narrative approach to care and support may at the same time be considered as an attempt to compensate for the 'disabled authorship' of many persons with intellectual disabilities and as a sign of controversy with standard practices of diagnosis and treatment that tend to neglect the personal identities of both clients and care givers, their particular historical and relational contexts and their spiritual needs. This paper argues that narrative ethics not only offers an appropriate moral framework for practices of life story work, but that these practices are a narrative ethics in action. Starting with an account of the concept of 'life story work' as it has been introduced in nursing practices in the field of intellectual disability, the paper explains its relationship with key characteristics of narrative ethics. The teleological dimension in narrative ethics and in practices of life story work sparks off a dialectic process of understanding of the client and self-understanding of the care giver. It also invites a respect for life in its openness toward the future and presupposes an openness toward other possible versions of the life narrative. The phenomenological and hermeneutic-interpretative methodologies in narrative ethics aim at a 'sudden moment of intimacy' in relationships of nurses and clients. The 'epiphany' of this essential moment of recognition, insight and engagement cannot, however, be brought about by methodology.

  7. Narrator-in-Chief

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Herron, Mark A.

    . The use of narratives of and by presidents in the White House can be seen as an essential part of the ceremonial role of the presidency. This use of narratives in epideictic speech has increased with modern day interests in the domestic life of the president, and the use of visual mass media......The dissertation Narrator-in-Chief: The Narrative Rhetoric of Barack Obama seeks to show how the concept of “narrative” can be used in rhetorical criticism of presidential speeches, particularly when considering the speeches and the biographical text, Dreams from My Father (1995), of Barack Obama...... as a communication platform for the president. While this has been described as a negative development (Stuckey, 1991; Salmon, 2010) this dissertation argues that narrative rhetoric should not be seen only as a negative part of political rhetoric, but also as a possibly vital way to educate the audience on issues...

  8. Assuring quality in narrative analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, P H

    1996-04-01

    Many nurse-researchers using qualitative strategies have been concerned with assuring quality in their work. The early literature reveals that the concepts of validity and reliability, as understood from the positivist perspective, are somehow inappropriate and inadequate when applied to interpretive research. More recent literature suggests that because of the positivist and interpretive paradigms are epistemologically divergent, the transfer of quality criteria from one perspective to the other is not automatic or even reasonable. The purpose of this article, therefore, is to clarify what the terms quality, trustworthiness, credibility, authenticity, and goodness mean in qualitative research findings. The process of assuring quality, validation, in qualitative research will be discussed within the context of the interpretive method, narrative analysis. A brief review of quality in narrative analysis nursing research will also be presented.

  9. Film beyond boundaries: film, migrant narratives and other media Film beyond boundaries: film, migrant narratives and other media

    OpenAIRE

    Anelise Reich Corseuil

    2008-01-01

    The articles here presented are representative of the debates about the various transformational aspects of film studies, fostering the discussion about the transformations and interactions between national and international narrative forms, the interrelations between film and literature, and film with other media. The critical perspectives here presented range from an emphasis on cultural materialism, dialogism, reception theory, deconstructionism, narrative studies to film aesthetics or fil...

  10. NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVE MEDIATED BY MANNER OF MOTION VERBS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olesea BODEAN-VOZIAN

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available There is typological variation in the way languages encode manner as an element of a motion event. Languages like English view it as relevant, and the lexicalization of the variety of ways to move results in a rich class of motion verbs, contrary to other types of languages, like Romanian, which leave the manner element to be encoded by verbids or adverbs (for these reasons some linguists refer to the first type as manner-rich and second type as manner-poor languages. Still, several studies contrasting typologically different languages showed that languages of the latter type are not so poor in manner-of-motion verbs. The question then might rather be: which manner components are more likely to be lexicalized?For research purposes, we distinguish manner in terms of objective elements (medium, speed or intensity and subjective elements (attitude, intention. The aim of the study is to focus on the manner-of-motion verbs that embed an evaluative or qualitative dimension of motion and to examine the way these verbs encode somebody’s perspective in a narrative. The first question in such a case is whose evaluation or point of view is being represented. The second one is how the subjective point of view (narrative perspective mediated through manner-of-motion verbs in an English narrative (The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien is translated into Romanian, supposedly a manner-poor or low-manner language.PERSPECTIVA NARATIVĂ MEDIATĂ DE VERBELE DE MIŞCARE DE MODExistă o variaţie tipologică în felul în care limbile codifică modul ca element al unui eveniment de mişcare. Limbile precum engleza îl percep drept unul relevant, iar lexicalizarea gamei de mijloace de redare a mişcării a dat naştere unei clase bogate de verbe de mişcare, contrar altor tipuri de limbi, aşa ca româna, în care elementul ce redă modul este codificat de gerunziu sau adverbe. Din aceasta cauză, unii lingvişti numesc primul tip limbi bogate în verbe de mod (

  11. Feelings and motives underlying Machiavellian behavioural strategies; narrative reports in a social dilemma situation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Czibor, Andrea; Vincze, Orsolya; Bereczkei, Tamas

    2014-12-01

    This study explored the reasons and motives underlying the decisions of individuals with strong Machiavellian attitudes (High Machs). One hundred and fifty undergraduate students completed the Mach-IV test, and their contributions to, financial success in and narrative reports of a public goods game were analysed. High Machs contributed less to the public good and gained more benefit than Low Machs. Analysis of the narrative reports showed that High Machs used significantly fewer verbs referring to emotional involvement and first person plural verb forms, than did Low Machs. This study confirmed previous findings that High Machs have a cool and rational character and a proself orientation and showed that their lack of group orientation may account for their low cooperation in social dilemmas. The results of narrative content analysis provide a new perspective on the motives and values behind High Machs' decisions and success in different fields of social life. © 2014 International Union of Psychological Science.

  12. Facebook, Political Narrative, and Political Change: A Case Study of Palestinian Youth

    OpenAIRE

    Kenderes, Amanda

    2012-01-01

    In this dissertation I aim to advance political narrative theory by exploring the use of political narrative on Facebook and the possibility for Facebook to be used among Palestinian youth for political change. To examine the concepts of political narrative and political change, I developed a model for political change based on the changing political narratives which in part prompted the 2011 Egyptian revolution. The model, Political Narrative Perspectives (PNPs), identifies individual and re...

  13. The making of autobiographical memory: intersections of culture, narratives and identity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fivush, Robyn; Habermas, Tilmann; Waters, Theodore E A; Zaman, Widaad

    2011-10-01

    Autobiographical memory is a uniquely human form of memory that integrates individual experiences of self with cultural frames for understanding identities and lives. In this review, we present a theoretical and empirical overview of the sociocultural development of autobiographical memory, detailing the emergence of autobiographical memory during the preschool years and the formation of a life narrative during adolescence. More specifically, we present evidence that individual differences in parental reminiscing style are related to children's developing autobiographical narratives. Parents who structure more elaborated coherent personal narratives with their young children have children who, by the end of the preschool years, provide more detailed and coherent personal narratives, and show a more differentiated and coherent sense of self. Narrative structuring of autobiographical remembering follows a protracted developmental course through adolescence, as individuals develop social cognitive skills for temporal understanding and causal reasoning that allows autobiographical memories to be integrated into an overarching life narrative that defines emerging identity. In addition, adolescents begin to use culturally available canonical biographical forms, life scripts, and master narratives to construct a life story and inform their own autobiographical narrative identity. This process continues to be socially constructed in local interactions; we present exploratory evidence that parents help adolescents structure life narratives during coconstructed reminiscing and that adolescents use parents and families as a source for their own autobiographical content and structure. Ultimately, we argue that autobiography is a critical developmental skill; narrating our personal past connects us to our selves, our families, our communities, and our cultures.

  14. Writing autobiographical narratives increases political conservatism

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lammers, J.; Proulx, T.

    2013-01-01

    Two experiments show that writing chronological autobiographical narratives increases political conservatism, defined as an ideology of resistance to social change. When writing chronological autobiographical narratives, we hypothesized that people would re-experience the events of their life in a

  15. Evaluation on the use of animated narrative video in teaching narrative text

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soe’oed Rahmat

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available In the 21st century, our life is strongly affected by the information technology. Educational technology has been rapidly improved by the development of audiovisual tools. Teachers may choose a number of different types of resources for teaching purposes, including videos and movies. Therefore, this study is aimed at evaluating animated narrative videos from YouTube for the teaching narrative text and identifying potential factors which influence the quality of educational videos. The videos were examined by using assessment rubric to see the quality and suitability of animated narrative videos which might be used in the teaching narrative text. The rubric was adapted from Prince Edward Island (PEI Department of Education: Evaluation and Selection of Learning Resources. It consists of four criteria, content, structure, instructional design, and technical design In addition, the study presents critical awareness of how these aspects can be interpreted to measure animated narrative videos and at the same time the engagement of the teachers in exploring animated narrative videos used in classroom.

  16. Double Voicing and Personhood in Collaborative Life Writing about Autism: the Transformative Narrative of Carly's Voice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orlando, Monica

    2018-06-01

    Collaborative memoirs by co-writers with and without autism can enable the productive interaction of the voices of the writers in ways that can empower rather than exploit the disabled subject. Carly's Voice, co-written by Arthur Fleischmann and his autistic daughter Carly, demonstrates the capacity for such life narratives to facilitate the relational interaction between writers in the negotiation of understandings of disability. Though the text begins by focusing on the limitations of life with autism, it develops into a collaboration which helps both writers move toward new ways of understanding disability and their own and one another's life stories.

  17. Identity Development and Future Orientation in Immigrant Adolescents and Young Adults: A Narrative View of Cultural Transitions From Ethiopia to Israel.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flum, Hanoch; Buzukashvili, Tamara

    2018-06-01

    This paper examines a major aspect of identity development in the context of cultural transition. Following Eriksonian psychosocial and sociocultural perspectives, it investigates self-continuity and identity integration in light of inherent discontinuity among young immigrants. More specifically, this examination draws on three distinct narrative studies, within the framework of Dynamic Narrative Approach, with first- and second-generation adolescents and young adult Ethiopian immigrants to Israel. Their negotiations of identity, with a focus on their narrative construction of past, present, and future across life domains (education, career, military service, family), are illustrated in this article in a variety of developmental paths. Dynamics of reciprocity between early life experiences and future orientation are revealed in the narratives. A capacity to connect cultural resources in the past with challenges in the new culture is identified as a key. By processing them and bringing them up-to-date, meaning becomes relevant to current experiences and developmental challenges. Across the three distinct studies, a variety of exploratory activities and relational qualities are found to facilitate or impede the reconstruction and integration of identity. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  18. A Narrative Criticism of Lifestyle Reality Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Travis Loof

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available This article seeks to understand and explain the relationship between lifestyle reality television programs and consumers. Specifically, this article outlines this relationship from a critical narrative perspective by interrogating two common story structures within lifestyle reality programming. By analyzing these narratives, conclusions are drawn about the role of story in consumer behavior. Additionally, this article argues that through the combination of the rhetorical situation of the housing collapse and narrative storytelling, consumers are taught how to perceive and interact when considering the purchase of a house. Finally, this article synthesizes Social Cognitive theory (Bandura, 1986 in conjunction with Narrative theory (Fisher, 1984 to explore how rhetorical criticism can use social science to better understand lived, mediated, experience.

  19. "It Is Not Wit, It Is Truth:" Transcending the Narrative Bounds of Professional and Personal Identity in Life and in Art.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elliot, Michelle L

    2016-09-01

    Taking inspiration from the film Wit (2001), adapted from Margaret Edson's (1999) Pulitzer Prize-winning play, this article explores the particularities of witnessing a cinematic cancer narrative juxtaposed with the author's own cancer narrative. The analysis reveals the tenuous line between death and dying, illness and wellness, life and living and the resulting identities shaped in the process of understanding both from a personal and professional lens. By framing these representations of illness experience within the narrative constructions of drama, time, metaphor and morality, the personal stories of intellectual knowledge converging with intimate and embodied knowing are revealed.

  20. Narrative research in psychotherapy: a critical review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Avdi, Evrinomy; Georgaca, Eugenie

    2007-09-01

    This paper is a review of studies which utilise the notion of narrative to analyse psychotherapy. Its purpose is to systematically present this diverse field of research, to highlight common themes and divergences between different strands and to further the development and integration of narrative research in psychotherapy. The paper reviews studies which employ an applied textual analysis of narratives produced in the context of psychotherapy. Criteria for inclusion of studies are, firstly, the analysis of therapeutic and therapy-related texts and, secondly, the adoption of a narrative psychological perspective. The studies were examined on the basis of the notion of narrative they employ and the aspects of client narratives they focus on, and were grouped accordingly in the review. The majority of the studies reviewed assume a constructivist approach to narrative, adopt a representational view of language, focus primarily on client micro-narratives and relate to cognitive-constructivist and process-experiential psychotherapeutic approaches. A smaller group of studies assume a social constructionist approach to narrative and a functional view of language, focus on micro-narratives, highlight the interactional and wider social aspects of narrative and relate to postmodern trends in psychotherapy. The range of conceptualisations of narrative in the studies reviewed, from a representational psychological view to a constructionist social view, reflects tensions within narrative psychology itself. Moreover, two trends can be discerned in the field reviewed, narrative analysis of therapy, which draws from narrative theory and utilises the analytic approaches of narrative research to study psychotherapy, and analyses of narrative in therapy, which study client narratives using non-narrative qualitative methods. Finally, the paper highlights the need for integration of this diverse field of research and urges for the development of narrative studies of psychotherapy

  1. Autobiographical reasoning in life narratives buffers the effect of biographical disruptions on the sense of self-continuity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habermas, Tilmann; Köber, Christin

    2015-01-01

    Personal identity depends on synchronic coherence and diachronic continuity of the self. Autobiographical remembering and autobiographical knowledge as well as the stability of bodily integrity, of social roles, of significant others and of physical and sociocultural environment have been suggested as supporting a pre-reflective sense of self-continuity. Stark biographical discontinuities or disruptions in these areas may destabilise the sense of self-continuity. To test the hypothesis that autobiographical reasoning in life narratives helps to compensate the effects of biographical discontinuities on the sense of self-continuity, life narratives of a lifespan sample with the ages of 16, 20, 24, 28, 44 and 69 (N = 150, 78 female) were investigated. Results confirm that if, and only if there have been biographical disruptions in the past four years, then autobiographical reasoning correlates positively with a sense of self-continuity. The findings contradict the thesis that mere remembering of past episodes is sufficient to maintain a sense of self-continuity under conditions of biographical change.

  2. Life's end: Ethnographic perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goodwin-Hawkins, Bryonny; Dawson, Andrew

    2018-01-01

    In this introduction to the special issue, Life's End: Ethnographic Perspectives, we review the field of anthropological studies of death and dying. We make the argument that, largely because of its sub-disciplining into the larger field of the anthropology of religion, ritual and symbolism, the focus of anthropological research on death has been predominantly on post- rather than pre-death events, on death's beginnings rather than life's ends. Additionally, we argue that an anthropological aversion to the study of dying may also lie in the intimacy of the discipline's principal method, ethnography. Contrastingly, we argue that this very methodological intimacy can be a source of insight, and we offer this as a rationale for the special issue as a whole, which comprises eight ethnographic studies of dying and social relations at life's end from across Africa, Australia, Europe, and North America. Each of these studies is then summarized, and a rationale for their presentation around the themes of "structures of dying," "care for the dying," "hope in dying," and "ending life" is presented.

  3. Narrative research on mental health recovery: two sister paradigms.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spector-Mersel, Gabriela; Knaifel, Evgeny

    2017-06-24

    Despite the breadth of narrative studies on individuals with severe mental illness, the suitability of narrative inquiry to exploring mental health recovery (MHR) has not been examined. (1) Examining the appropriateness of narrative inquiry to studying MHR; (2) assessing the extent to which narrative studies on MHR conform to the unique features of narrative research, as a distinctive form of qualitative inquiry. Review of empirical, theoretical and methodological literature on recovery and narrative inquiry. Considering the perspectives of recovery and narrative as paradigms, the similarity between their ontology and epistemology is shown, evident in 10 common emphases: meaning, identity, change and development, agency, holism, culture, uniqueness, context, language and giving voice. The resemblance between these "sister" paradigms makes narrative methodology especially fruitful for accessing the experiences of individuals in recovery. Reviewing narrative studies on MHR suggests that, currently, narrative research's uniqueness, centered on the holistic principle, is blurred on the philosophical, methodological and textual levels. Well-established narrative research has major implications for practice and policy in recovery-oriented mental health care. The narrative inquiry paradigm offers a possible path to enhancing the distinctive virtues of this research, realizing its potential in understanding and promoting MHR.

  4. "Bet you think this song is about you": Whose Narrative Is It in Narrative Research?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ruthellen Josselson

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available This paper examines the dilemmas in narrative research created by the gaps between the authority of experience (the participant’s understanding of his or her life and the authority of expertise (the researcher’s interpretive analysis of that life. It raises the question of who, at various levels, "owns" the narrative. Using a detailed case example, the paper explores the relationship between authority and authorship as it contrasts the researcher’s intention and the participant’s reactions to what is presented. Ethical dilemmas that ensue are not easily managed, but a suggestion is offered. The dynamics of narcissism that underlie the interpersonal stress of telling another’s life are also considered.

  5. Master Narratives of Ukrainian Political Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Charles McGrath

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available As fighting between Russian backed rebels and government forces is taking place in eastern Ukraine, it is all the more apparent the existing political divide that exists in the country. The complex history of being subjugated by surrounding countries and major resettlements of Ukrainians is testing the country in a major way. Historically, emphasis on understanding the Soviet Union was focused on the Soviet perspective — the Soviet narratives, and most recently on reemerging Russia. As a result, little attention is placed on Ukraine’s history. In order to understand the Ukrainian identity, it’s necessary to know the narratives that encompass Ukraine’s history. As freedom and liberty exemplifies American identity and ideology, the history of Ukraine also contains a system of stories that support Ukrainian culture. This paper, the first chapter of my dissertation, details the sources I’ve used to develop my methodology for understanding and analyzing narratives. As I began my research I soon realized the complexity of narratives leading me to explore the elements contained in narratives such as story, plot, character, archetypes, and the Hero’s Journey or Monomyth. I will explain how I understand the meaning of narrative and master narrative, supported by relevant sources, and conclude with the methodology I will use for analysis of the master narratives that envelope the major historical events of Ukraine

  6. Benefits of Higher Education in Mid-Life: A Life Course Agency Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Isopahkala-Bouret, Ulpukka

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to investigate the benefits of higher education in mid-life from the perspective of life course agency. Studies concerning the benefits of degree-oriented higher education have been mainly conducted using survey questionnaires and quantitative methods. In order to gain a more comprehensive picture, this qualitative…

  7. The Analysis of Narrative structure of Bad Az Payan novel by Fariba Vafi

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Teymoor Malmir

    2017-08-01

    because of their predisposition to bring about a change in their lives. The narration is structured as follows: 1. the present incidents, 2. the narrator’s thoughts and reveries, 3. the memory of past events by the narrator, 4. narration of past events to the narratee, 5. narration of the narratee’s past events, 6. narrator’s conjecture about the other’s mind. The narration of these six components is based on a combination of three tenses:  Past events that are being reviewed The present recurrence of past events The narration of the two former narratives The characteristic feature of the author’s style is the particular combination of time and narration. That is why an abundant number of propositions in this novel belongs in the narrator’s memory of past events and the recurrence thereof. The plot of the narrative revolves around correspondence; correspondence, which is the essence of life, ultimately turns into identity following a sequence of conflicts. Identity signifies ‘an end’; as long as there is correspondence, there is life, however, in the course of suffering or sickness, identity looms in. The deep structure of the narrative is that, for its continuity, life is contingent on correspondence. When there is a death or an end, there is no correspondence, and this serves to signify the fact that correspondence underlies life. This is reminiscent of love which ends with union, though it begins with an enthusiasm and affection which get intensified in the face of stumbling blocks and problems. The title and the theme of the novel is based on the desire to found a real life on love, a type of love which is congruent with the current age and lifestyle. The breaks and unions in the narrative are based on old-fashioned love traditions which doomed to failure; while the new age entails a new perspective on the love relations. The title serves to highlight the same theme. Love in past ages was a pioneering affair on the part of men, and this has been

  8. Listening to Narratives: An Experimental Examination of Storytelling in the Classroom

    Science.gov (United States)

    Glonek, Katie L.; King, Paul E.

    2014-01-01

    In an age of PowerPoint, much everyday public communication is semantically organized as an expository presentation. This contrasts with traditional approaches such as storytelling that are episodically organized and presented as narratives. The constructivist theory of narrative comprehension, along with other theoretical perspectives, suggests…

  9. Narratives about illness and medication: a neglected theme/new methodology within pharmacy practice research. Part II: medication narratives in practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Kath; Bissell, Paul; Morecroft, Charles

    2007-08-01

    Part 2 of this paper aims to provide a methodological framework for the study of medication narratives, including a semi-structured interview guide and suggested method of analysis, in an attempt to aid the development of narrative scholarship within pharmacy practice research. Examples of medication narratives are provided to illustrate their diversity and usefulness. The framework is derived from the work of other researchers and adapted for our specific purpose. It comes from social psychology, narrative psychology, narrative anthropology, sociology and critical theory and fits within the social constructionist paradigm. The suggested methods of analysis could broadly be described as narrative analysis and discourse analysis. Examples of medication narratives are chosen from a variety of sources and brief interpretations are presented by way of illustration. Narrative analysis, a neglected area of research in pharmacy practice, has the potential to provide new understanding about how people relate to their medicines, how pharmacists are engaged in producing narratives and the importance of narrative in the education of students. IMPACT OF THE ARTICLE: This article aims to have the following impact on pharmacy practice research: Innovative approach to researching and conceptualising the use of medicines. Introduction of a new theoretical perspective and methodology. Incorporation of social science research methods into pharmacy practice research. Development of narrative scholarship within pharmacy.

  10. Narrative Construction, Social Perceptions, and the Situation Model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costabile, Kristi A

    2016-05-01

    The present investigation examined how three salient features of narrative thinking (situation model construction, linguistic concreteness, and perspective-taking) influenced the social inference process. Results of four experiments indicated that compared with those given other objectives, perceivers given narrative objectives were: (a) more likely to make situation rather than trait attributions for observed behaviors (Experiment 1), (b) less likely to make implicit trait inferences (Experiment 2), and (c) less likely to rely on behavior valence when making evaluative judgments (Experiment 4). Linguistic analyses indicated that narrative construction consistently entailed the creation of situation models of events and linguistic concreteness, but only situation model creation mediated the relationship between narrative and inferences. Experiment 3 confirmed the mediating role of situation models: Perceivers with narrative objectives made trait inferences only when behaviors were inconsistent with contextual information. The role of these core narrative features on social perceptions is discussed. © 2016 by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology, Inc.

  11. Young children’s perspectives researched from everyday life

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Juhl, Pernille

    -Holzkamp 1991]. This theoretical juxtaposition contributes by linking children’s experiences and emotional feelings to concrete social situations in everyday life. These theoretical discussions contribute to methodological considerations in relation to doing situated analysis of preverbal children’s first......The paper discusses methodological issues in relation to researching young (0-4 year) children’s first person’s perspectives. Drawing on a recent Danish study of children’s compound everyday life across day care contexts and family life, I argue that focusing on the children’s gazes and bodily...... expressions constitute a central knowledge source for learning about the children’s perspectives. The aim is to raise a theoretical discussion about how the concept ‘conduct of life’ is related to the concept ‘first person perspective’ by a third concept ‘subjective situation’ [befindlichkeit, Osterkamp...

  12. How does biographic-narrative intervention influence identity negotiation and quality of life in aphasia? - The participants' perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jürgen Konradi

    2014-04-01

    The quantitative and the qualitative results were complementary in demonstrating the effectiveness of the biographic-narrative intervention. As predicted, there was a specific treatment effect with a significant and stable improvement in QoL. Analysis of the semi-structured interviews indicated that through the approach the participants’ sense of self changed. The findings provide foundations for future work into intervention.

  13. The influence of work-life balance, choice and a meaningful location on work transitions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lisson, Selene; Mee, Laura; Gilbert, Kristen

    2013-01-01

    To explore career transitions using an occupational perspective. One man shared his views on career transitions to elaborate concepts on work-life balance, choice and meaning. Narrative reflection and theoretical exploration of occupational concepts underscoring career transitions. Three concepts are important to understanding career transitions, work-life balance, making meaning choices, and place. Further development in work transitions can be elaborated using an occupational understanding.

  14. Study the monologue (singular first person) narrative technique at the novel by Hani Alraheb

    OpenAIRE

    Hossein abavisani; Fatemeh parchegani; Zohreh Naemi; Mahboubeh Mohammadi Mohammadabadi

    2016-01-01

    Narrative style is a tool in the hands of the author in order to display his narrative content to the reader in its form , because the form can direct the content toward its main direction that means the audience perspective .In other words, narrative style is same as a foundation that gives unity and cohesion of narrative text , because it can specify the narrator relation to his/her story world and also it is the basic criteria of reader to understand, criticize and measure other narrative ...

  15. Optical illusions and life-threatening traffic crashes: A perspective on aerial perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Redelmeier, Donald A; Raza, Sheharyar

    2018-05-01

    Aerial perspective illusion is a feature of visual perception where landscapes appear relatively close in clear light and distant in dim light. We hypothesized that bright sunlight might cause drivers to perceive distant terrain as relatively close and misinterpret the approach speed of surrounding landscape as unduly slow. This hypothesis would mean, in turn, that drivers in bright sunlight may underestimate their progress on the road, compensate by traveling at a faster baseline speed, and ultimately increase the prevailing risk of a life-threatening traffic crash. We conducted three pilot studies to illustrate how the illusion might contribute to a life- threatening traffic crash. The first illustration used a questionnaire to demonstrate that most respondents were mistaken when judging the distance between simple balls in different positions. The second illustration involved an experimental manipulation to assess whether aerial perspective influenced judgments about the relative positions of vehicles in traffic. The third illustration analyzed a segment of high-volume fast-speed traffic and found an increased frequency of speeding under bright sunlight. Together with past work based on the visual arts, these examples illustrate how an aerial perspective illusion can affect distance perception, may appear in realistic traffic situations, and could potentially contribute to the risk of a life-threatening traffic crash. An awareness of this hypothesis might lead to applications on how optical illusions could extend to everyday traffic and might potentially inform safety warnings to prevent life- threatening crashes. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A tale of two hands: Children's early gesture use in narrative production predicts later narrative structure in speech

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demir, Özlem Ece; Levine, Susan C.; Goldin-Meadow, Susan

    2014-01-01

    Speakers of all ages spontaneously gesture as they talk. These gestures predict children's milestones in vocabulary and sentence structure. We ask whether gesture serves a similar role in the development of narrative skill. Children were asked to retell a story conveyed in a wordless cartoon at age 5 and then again at 6, 7, and 8. Children's narrative structure in speech improved across these ages. At age 5, many of the children expressed a character's viewpoint in gesture, and these children were more likely to tell better-structured stories at the later ages than children who did not produce character-viewpoint gestures at age 5. In contrast, framing narratives from a character's perspective in speech at age 5 did not predict later narrative structure in speech. Gesture thus continues to act as a harbinger of change even as it assumes new roles in relation to discourse. PMID:25088361

  17. Narrative ethics for narrative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baldwin, Clive

    2015-08-01

    Narrative permeates health care--from patients' stories taken as medical histories to the development of health policy. The narrative approach to health care has involved the move from narratives in health care as objects of study to the lens through which health care is studied and, more recently, to narrative as a form of care. In this paper, I argue that narrative care requires a move in the field of ethics--from a position where narratives are used to inform ethical decision making to one in which narrative is the form and process of ethical decision making. In other words, I argue for a narrative ethics for narrative care. The argument is relatively straightforward. If, as I argue, humans are narrative beings who make sense of themselves, others, and the world in and through narrative, we need to see our actions as both narratively based and narratively contextual and thus understanding the nature, form, and content of the narratives of which we are a part, and the process of narrativity, provides an intersubjective basis for ethical action. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. !Claro, se puede! Critical resilience: A critical race perspective on resilience in the baccalaureate achievement of Latino/a engineering and life science students

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cruz, Gary Anthony

    An under representation of Latino/as in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) still persists. In Rising Above the Gathering Storm, the National Academies sounded an alarm in response to data indicating a "troubling decline" in the number of U.S. citizens trained to become scientists and engineers at a time when the number of technical jobs is outpacing the rate of the U.S. workforce. The shrinking technical talent pipeline threatens the country's future in technology innovation, energy alternatives, national security, and education. This study purported to contextualize resilience and discern the cultural capital and persistence behaviors of STEM Latino/a students succeeding in two adverse environments---higher education and science and engineering. Through a critical race perspective the student cuentos were thematically analyzed. Student narratives were then triangulated with the narrative of the researcher---a Mexican American, first-generation college student, who pursued a life science bachelor's degree through the two institutions in this study. The theoretical framework was guided by Critical Race Theory, Resiliency, Persistence Theory, and Social Construction of Technology. The study consisted of a pilot survey and narrative inquiry. The survey contained pilot questions on the use and perception of information technologies in STEM education. The narrative inquiry was guided by critical race that enabled both positionality and storytelling through narratives and counter-narratives. Twenty-two Latino/a graduating seniors majoring in the biological sciences or engineering/engineering technology at a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) and a Predominantly-White Institution (PWI) in Texas were recruited. The narratives of these students were collected through one-time, semi-structured interviews during the last semester of their studies. Results from the study indicate that these Latino/a STEM students are conscious of their ethnicity

  19. Film beyond boundaries: film, migrant narratives and other media

    OpenAIRE

    Anelise Reich Corseuil

    2006-01-01

    The articles here presented are representative of the debates about the various transformational aspects of film studies, fostering the discussion about the transformations and interactions between national and international narrative forms, the interrelations between film and literature, and film with other media. The critical perspectives here presented range from an emphasis on cultural materialism, dialogism, reception theory, deconstructionism, narrative studies to film aesthetics or fil...

  20. A Study on Narrative Perspectives in The Heart is a Lonely Hunter%论《心是孤独的猎手》中的叙事视角

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    陈博

    2012-01-01

    The theme of loneliness in McCullers" works has always been the focus of which the connotations of feminism, poetic traits as well as cultural background of criticism have been circles, out explored to the fullest extent over the past few years. McCullers" genius is not only embodied in her keen and deep insight; but also in her unique and exquisite narrative skill. This thesis attempts to elaborate on the narrative strategies of McCullers" The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, of which the narrative perspective is of variety. That is mainly embodied in the applications of third person external perspective, zero perspective and internal perspective. These three kinds of perspective are switched back and forth tactfully, reflecting the unique creative concept of the author.%麦卡勒斯作品的孤独主题一直占据评论界的中心,其引申出的女性主义、诗性特征以及文化背景义涵都得到了充分的拓展。麦卡勒斯的天才不仅体现在其敏锐深刻的洞察力上,也体现在其独特精致的叙事技巧上。麦卡勒斯作品《心是孤独的猎手》的叙事视角具有多变性特征,主要表现在第三人称外视角的应用,零视角的应用,以及内视角的应用等方面。三种视角巧妙地来回切换,体现了作者独具匠心的创作理念。

  1. Story-Telling and Narrative: A Neurophilosophical Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liston, Delores D.

    Theories of neuroscience are presented to demonstrate the significance of storytelling and narrative to education by relating brain function to learning. A few key concepts are reviewed to establish a common working vocabulary with regard to neural networks. The tensor network theory and the neurognosis theory are described to provide…

  2. Shattering the Screen: Embodied Narrative in Digital Media

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Russell J. Cook

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available This illustrated phenomenological inquiry into storytelling in screen media identifies important media transformations of experience. Viewers embody, or situate their experienced selves, according to screen requirements. A viewer’s compelled perspective on the screen causes fundamental spatio-temporal transformations of narrative experience, including horizontal stretching of screen space and time compression or leakage. Virtual media have the potential, as yet unrealized, to break out of the screen and to restore narrative to its primordial, experiential roots.

  3. Narratives boost entrepreneurial attitudes: Making an entrepreneurial career attractive?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fellnhofer, Katharina

    2018-06-01

    This article analyses the impact of narratives on entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions. To this end, a quasi-experiment was conducted to evaluate web-based entrepreneurial narratives. The paired-sample tests and regression analysis use a sample of 466 people from Austria, Finland, and Greece and indicate that individuals' perceptions of the desirability of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intention are significantly different before and after exposure to entrepreneurial narratives. Furthermore, the findings indicate that perceptions of the feasibility of entrepreneurship are more strongly affected by videos than by cases. From a policy perspective, this study raises awareness that entrepreneurship is an attractive career path.

  4. A Sikh Perspective on Life-Stress: Implications for Counselling

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sandhu, Jaswinder Singh

    2005-01-01

    This paper presents the Sikh life-stress model as a culture-specific intervention. The paper looks at the Sikh world-view, from which it delineates the Sikh perspective on life-stress. It further outlines a framework for incorporating the Sikh life-stress model into the Western counselling context, and concludes with a case vignette to demonstrate…

  5. Personalized nutrition advice : an everyday-life perspective

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bouwman, L.I.

    2009-01-01

    This thesis presents societal preconditions for Personalized Nutrition Advice (PNA) that result from an everyday-life perspective on this innovative approach. Generally, PNA is regarded as promising, because it provides users with highly specific information on individual health risks and benefits

  6. Narrative Therapies with Children and Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Craig, Ed.; Nylund, David, Ed.

    Through transcripts and case examples this book explores how drama, art, play, and humor can be used to engage children of different ages in therapy and to honor their idiosyncratic language, knowledge, and perspectives. Chapters are: (1) "Introduction: Comparing Traditional Therapies with Narrative Approaches" (C. Smith); (2) "'I…

  7. What Is Adolescence?: Adolescents Narrate Their Lives in Lima, Peru

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bayer, Angela M.; Gilman, Robert H.; Tsui, Amy O.; Hindin, Michelle J.

    2010-01-01

    This study explores the lives of Peruvian adolescents in a low-income human settlement outside of Lima. Twenty 12-17 year olds were asked to narrate their own life stories using the life history narrative research method. Holistic content analysis was coupled with a grounded-theory approach to explore these data. Intergenerational responsibility,…

  8. Expressing Emotions as Evidence in Osteoporosis Narratives: Effects on Message Processing and Intentions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Volkman, Julie E.; Parrott, Roxanne L.

    2012-01-01

    This study examined the use of different narratives expressing positive or negative emotions, and varying the narrator's perspective on the arousal of discrete emotions, dominant cognitions, perceived evidence quality, and perceived message effectiveness related to osteoporosis behavioral intentions. Formative research led to the creation of…

  9. Work Transitions as Told: A Narrative Approach to Biographical Learning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hallqvist, Anders; Hyden, Lars-Christer

    2013-01-01

    In this article, we introduce a narrative approach to biographical learning; that is, an approach that considers autobiographical storytelling as a practice through which claims about life history are performed and negotiated. Using insights from narrative theory, we highlight evaluations in those narratives and suggest their crucial role in…

  10. Classroom-Based Narratives: Teachers Reflecting on Their Own Teaching Stories. A New Page in the Story of Success...A New Chapter in the Life of Hope.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riggs, Ernestine; Serafin, Ana Gil

    This article focuses on classroom-based narratives that reflect how a convenience sample of 25 graduate students, who were also practicing teachers, wrote about and utilized the real-life events and experiences of their students to help them become instructional explorers and effective problem solvers. The narratives had to be a depiction of…

  11. Accounting for Intimate Partner Violence: A Biographical Analysis of Narrative Strategies Used by Men Experiencing IPV From Their Female Partners.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corbally, Melissa

    2015-10-01

    Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a serious social issue which affects the medium- and long-term health outcomes of many individuals worldwide. The cost of IPV on the physical and psychological well-being of individuals, in addition to its wider economic costs in responding to abused persons, is significant. Presently, there is a lack of understanding about the nature of female-initiated IPV and how men account for their experiences of it. This study examined male victims' life stories of their IPV experiences from their intimate partners. Using the biographical narrative interpretive method, three cases were analyzed from a social constructionist perspective to examine what narrative strategies men used to account for their experiences of being abused by their female partners. Three dominant narrative strategies were used by respondents: the fatherhood narrative, the good husband narrative, and the abuse narrative. The abuse narrative had a unique narrative form, which reflected respondents' disassociation between their identities as men and also as abused persons. Dominant conflicting discourses of masculinity and intimate partner abuse disadvantaged men in identifying IPV and secondly in responding appropriately. This study found that men prefer to use dominant discursive identities as legitimate means from which to disclose IPV experiences. The findings from this study illustrate that broad questioning by professionals regarding fatherhood may be most helpful in promoting disclosures of IPV if this is suspected. © The Author(s) 2014.

  12. Negotiating Indigenous Language Narratives from Canada and South Africa: A Comparative Approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iseke, Judy M.; Ndimande, Bekisizwe S.

    2014-01-01

    Indigenous cultural and language negotiations ongoing in the contexts of South Africa and Canada are documented in two studies, one sharing narratives from Black parents in South Africa and the other sharing narratives of Métis Elders in Canada. Black parents' perspectives on Indigenous language and cultures and the role of education in…

  13. “…so much immortal wealth”: Life in the Sick-Room by Harriet Martineau as Eco-Sustainable Narrative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Loredana Salis

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This study reassesses Harriet Martineau’s Life in the Sick-Room as an example of Victorian eco-sustainable narrative. Based on the author’s real-life experience as a long-term patient, the volume was conceived as a normative treatise on the condition of the invalid, and contributed significantly to ongoing debates on the reform of the medical system. Though the author does not deliberately provide readers with an ecological message, she advocates a remedial process that sees nature as a refuge and a redemptive space. A re-reading of Life in the Sick-Room today shows its value from an eco-critical viewpoint.

  14. Beyond V40.31: Narrative Phenomenology of Wandering in Autism and Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Solomon, Olga; Lawlor, Mary C

    2018-06-01

    'moral community' to ensure that he or she has a 'good human life' (Barnbaum, The Ethics of Autism: Among Them but not of Them. Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 2008; Silvers and Francis, Metaphilosophy 40(3/4):475-498, 2009). Using ethnographic, narrative phenomenological (Mattingly, The Paradox of Hope: Journeys through a Clinical Borderland. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010), and medical humanities (Charon, JAMA 286:1897-1902, 2001; Narrative Medicine: Honoring the Stories of Illness. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006) approaches, we examine multiple perspectives on 'wandering' in ASD and AD across narrative discourse genres, institutional contexts, and media of representation. We argue for an extension of the prevention and management view to focus not only on safety but also on what phenomenologist Merleau-Ponty (1962) called "having a world" (p. 146). The analysis is intended to inform clinical practice, policy and public health efforts to enhance understanding of first and second person perspectives on 'wandering' in order to improve the participation and quality of life of people with ASD and AD who 'wander', and their families.

  15. Living well with end stage renal disease: patients' narratives interrupted from a virtue perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dekker, Wim; Uerz, Inez; Wils, Jean-Pierre

    2005-01-01

    Over the last few decades there has been a revival of interest in virtue ethics, with the emphasis on the virtuous caregiver. This paper deals with the 'virtuous patient', specifically the patient with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). We believe that a virtue approach provides insights not available to current methods of studying coping styles and coping strategies. Data are derived from seven semi-structured in-depth interviews. The transcripts of the interviews were subjected to an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The focus of the analysis was on 'living well with chronic illness.' It appears that the moral challenges faced by patients with ESRD are manifold. When they are invited to tell the story of their illness, they do not explicitly speak of virtues, but they often refer to moral qualities, and to attitudes that can be regarded as virtuous. We identify several such concepts in the narratives of patients with ESRD. We conclude that the Aristotelian model of virtue ethics is particularly descriptively (and possibly also normatively) relevant to the explanation of the life narratives and the moral challenges of patients with an ESRD.

  16. Shifting the Balance: Relationship as Power in Organizational Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davidson, Sandra J

    2015-01-01

    Power has traditionally been studied and experienced within organizations from a hierarchical and positivist perspective. However, organizational complexity has never been greater, and in our attempts to find new ways to live amid this complexity we seek alternative theoretical perspectives that may better represent and inform our experiences of organizational life. This article summarizes the positivist view of power within organizations and the limitations of attempting to study power from this perspective. Power is then reconceptualized and explored using the complex responsive process (CRP) analysis. This is an exemplar of how narrative inquiry guided by CRP may be used as a frame for reflexivity and reflection amid organizational power dynamics. The narrative description used in this paper was based on the author's experience and reflection upon a nursing faculty meeting in a large public university. By becoming aware of the power relations in which we engage, and by reflecting upon them using CRP, we may come to understand power relations in a different way. In the act of examining and reflecting on our habitual roles in power relations, we may open up the potential for personal and organizational transformation. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  17. An analytical perspective on the Fellowship Narrative of Genesis 18:1–15

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ahn Sang Keun

    2010-08-01

    This study, therefore, attempts to explore the view point of the author of the Fellowship Narrative (Gn 18:1–15 within the context of the larger Abraham narrative (Gn 11:27–25:11. The method used for the investigation is mainly that of narrative criticism. Attention is paid to the narrator’s various literary skills: ‘linking structure with preceding episode’ (Gn 18:1a, the ‘sandwiched structure’ of the larger context (Gn 18:1–21:7, the unique plot sequence, as well as repeated clue words and phrases (such as ‘laugh’, ‘Sarah’ and ‘this time next year’. These literary aspects are used by the narrator to depict the faithfulness of the Lord who fulfils what he promised. The conclusion of this study overturns the traditional interpretations of the Fellowship Narrative.

  18. Barbie Princesses and Dinosaur Dragons: Narration as a Way of Doing Gender

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anggard, Eva

    2005-01-01

    In this article, young children's narration in words and pictures is discussed from a gender perspective. The article is based on a project in which eight pre-school children made their own books. In their stories, the children reused narratives picked up from different media, both traditional fairytales and popular cultural products. The reuse of…

  19. Time Perspective, Life Satisfaction and Social Comparison Orientation in University Students

    OpenAIRE

    Nazmiye ÇİVİTCİ; Hülya ŞAHİN BALTACI

    2018-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the predictive power of time perspective for the life satisfaction and social comparison in university students. The participants (n= 441; 321 female and 120 male) are undergraduate students at a state university. The data of the study were collected through the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, The Satisfaction with Life Scale and IOWA-Netherlands Social Comparison Orientation Measure. In order to determine the prediction power of the time ...

  20. [Personality and neurosis in the biographical perspective].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bühler, K E

    1985-01-01

    A biographical conception of neurosis requires a dynamical perspective of personality which may be defined as the relative stability of a person in time. The life-cycle is not merely a sequence of data but a complex pattern which can be reconstructed by all semiotic systems. But the ordinary all-purpose language is to be preferred because of its flexibility to fit even very complicated state of affairs. The narration of a life-cycle does not end in a unique version but a multiplicity of legitimate narratives. The unity of all these versions is conceived as paradigma, that means a set of similar examples. The extensional set of the paradigma shows a kind of order which may be characterized intensionally by a rule or a sense. The seeming irrationality of a neurotic symptom is caused by its belonging to a different paradigma for which there is a sense. Psychotherapy is an attempt to give the seeming irrational symptoms a specific sense and to change it in a second step.

  1. Narrative pedagogy and simulation: future directions for nursing education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walsh, Mike

    2011-05-01

    Narrative pedagogy has been developed over the last decade in nursing as a means of complementing a conventional content and competency driven pedagogy. It focuses attention on the human experience of health care by deriving shared meanings from interpretation of stories. This allows students to explore the different perspectives of those involved. The emotional experiences of participants can be understood, conventional wisdom challenged and new knowledge emerge as students work together to construct their learning. Individual stories are embedded within the narrative and teachers have successfully used literature and film as narratives to help them explore the meaning of health care with students. Modern technology has opened up a new range of electronic narratives such as virtual simulation. These are considered and rejected as devices for a health care narrative due to their dehumanized and unrealistic nature. However it is argued that a multimedia online simulation of a typical neighbourhood can achieve the goal of providing a suitable narrative. Human actors replace avatars and real world settings replace gaming environments as the stories of people in this community are related and used to support narrative pedagogy. An example of such a narrative developed jointly in the UK and Canada is discussed. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Det narrative og narrative undervisningsformer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    2010-01-01

    I denne power point gennem grundtrækkene i den narrative vending og der kommes med eksempler på narrative undervisningsformer.......I denne power point gennem grundtrækkene i den narrative vending og der kommes med eksempler på narrative undervisningsformer....

  3. Living ‘private life in the public gaze’

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Singla, Rashmi

    and the next generation. Profound implications of these findings for psychosocial services for mixed couples and their children are lastly discussed. *Singla, R. (2015) “Intermarriage, Mixed Parenting, Promoting mental health and wellbeing: Crossover Love Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan...... the background of the theoretical framework, foregrounded by a combination of intersectionality, everyday life perspective and transnationalism. The narratives are thematically analysed through meaning condensation and coding. The analyses of the narratives show how ethnicity, gender and socio-economic belonging...... in the present study. The former is illustrated through an awareness of the discrimination processes they face in different social domains such as the labour market, the stereotypical views of family members, negative attitudes of personnel in the children’s day care institutions, curious questions, while...

  4. Narratives of crisis: identity crisis or crisis of meaning?!

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roseli Araújo Barros Costa

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available This article is about a review of a broader research on the understanding of the professional development of Mathematics teachers, especially the results of the analysis of one of the selected categories, the projectors and the crisis narratives. This analysis was theoretically supported by Larrosa (2002. To carry out the research, we adopted the qualitative research, with a narrative focus, based on semi-structured interviews about the life history of a teacher who teaches mathematics in Basic Education. Based on a concept of professional development taken from a continuous perspective, idealized in a broader context of teaching work, permeating crises and conflicts, the analysis shows that the teacher's crisis reports are related to factors such as: low salaries, conflicts in her current institution Lack of social prestige and insecurity. His reports reveal that initial training did nothing to address the "new" changes in education. It shows that their lack of enthusiasm is associated with the emptying of the useful meaning of their formation, which results from the overvaluation of their exchange value. However, a crisis narrative can construct the present as a critical moment in the double sense of the word as a decisive moment and, at the same time, as a moment in which the subject critically recovers his own history, appropriates himself critically To find out where it is and to decide its own movement (LARRROSA, 2002. The individual, by critically restoring his history, can rethink the past, think the present, and (reconstruct his own future. The teacher, in her crisis narratives, shows that, by critically recovering her story, by putting out all her "revolt", she opens a "door" that will possibly show a new path to be taken. This seeks new challenges for their professional development

  5. Linguistic and Socio-Cognitive Predictors of School-Age Children's Narrative Evaluations about Jealousy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldrich, Naomi J.; Brooks, Patricia J.

    2017-01-01

    This study investigated children's narrative evaluations about jealousy in relation to performance on a higher-order perspective-taking task and assessments of receptive vocabulary and nonverbal intelligence. Eighty children (5;0-11;11) narrated a wordless picture book about a jealous frog, answered probe questions about the plot, and generated a…

  6. Narrative study on the experience of paternity in education professionals

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo Salvador Vila Merino

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available With this article we investigate through a narrative inquiry into the links between parenting, and life experience, education and professional practice. The study involved 24 collaborators, whose status as parents and educators has allowed us to biographical approach to the links between the two facets of their lives. In the studywe have assumed a unique perspective and opinion of the experience of parenthood, read in conjunction withmale socialization processes, and embedded in professional development of each employee. The work resulted in each case the collection and analysis of data through personal accounts, with the approach we were looking for new ways to address parenting and its influence on educational craft itself. In this article, apart from general considerations derived from the analysis of the 24 stories, 4 cases recovered from their singularities to try to show each employee’s subjective sense and understanding of social and relational scenarios in which these subjectivities are going setting,  here by trying to expand personal conceptions, political and social justice is the education profession, placed in relation to male gender identity. Fromthe analysis of the stories related conclusions emerge formative potential of narrative, the implications of parenthood in personal and professional life and your relationships, look changes that have occurred from there and the importance of reflecting on these issues from alternative male models to the hegemonic.We finished the job pointing out possible future research and action in the light of the stories.

  7. A thematic framework of illness narratives produced by stroke patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pluta, A; Ulatowska, H; Gawron, N; Sobanska, M; Lojek, E

    2015-01-01

    The present study aims at elucidating the impact of stroke on psychosocial functioning of stroke survivors. Data were investigated using interpretative thematic analysis of illness stories produced by 29 patients. Eight themes emerged from the data: Medical Information; Interpersonal Changes; Cognitive, Physical and Emotional Functioning; Strategies of Coping; Social Support; and Information Irrelevant to the Question. The most frequent organization of the themes followed the course of medical intervention and rehabilitation. Narrations of individual patients varied in terms of the presence of particular themes, the amount of information on each topic and organization. The results suggest that the analysis of non-guided illness narratives can be effectively used to identify the thematic areas important to individual stroke patients. The thematic content analysis of stroke stories can allow health professionals to better understand the patient's state of knowledge related to illness as well as his or her socio-psychological functioning which may be useful in the course of planning further assessment and rehabilitation of patients with stroke. Implications for Rehabilitation Experience of illness and life changes following stroke should be recognized as central to the provision of targeted rehabilitation. To understand the subjective perspective a content analysis of the content narrative is recommended. Our study highlights seven general thematic categories that may be regarded as key. The categories may be useful for clinicians to help individuals to clarify their main concerns following a stroke.

  8. Narrative preaching - yet another perspective | Van Rensburg | Acta ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The theme of narrative preaching has been widely discussed for more than a decade. However, only recently did the interest in this form of communication of the gospel of Jesus Christ become apparent within the congregational context. Ministers increasingly find it necessary to adopt a new approach in preaching.

  9. Life Stories and Mental Health: The Role of Identification Processes in Theory and Interventions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gerben J. Westerhof

    2012-11-01

    Full Text Available The goal of this article is to explore the relations between narratives and mental health from a psychological perspective. We argue that a process of identification with personal experiences underlies narrative structures that are known to be related to mental health. Overidentification and underidentification are described as general processes underlying mental health problems. Gerontological insights in reminiscence and life review and cognitive psychological studies on autobiographical memories validate this claim. Practical applications in mental health care provide even further evidence for the role of identification processes in mental health and how they can be targeted in interventions.

  10. Cancer and the Comics: Graphic Narratives and Biolegitimate Lives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McMullin, Juliet

    2016-06-01

    Cancer graphic narratives, I argue, are part of a medical imaginary that includes representations of difference and biomedical technology that engage Fassin's (2009) concept of biolegitimacy. Framed in three parts, the argument first draws on discourses about cancer graphic narratives from graphic medicine scholars and authors to demonstrate a construction of universal suffering. Second, I examine tropes of hope and difference as a biotechnical embrace. Finally, I consider biosociality within the context of this imaginary and the construction of a meaningful life. Autobiographical graphic narrative as a creative genre that seeks to give voice to individual illness experiences in the context of biomedicine raises anthropological questions about the interplay between the ordinary and biolegitmate. Cancer graphic narratives deconstruct the big events to demonstrate the ordinary ways that a life constructed as different becomes valued through access to medical technologies. © 2014 by the American Anthropological Association.

  11. Linguistic spatial classifications of event domains in narratives of crime

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Blake Stephen Howald

    2010-07-01

    Full Text Available Structurally, formal definitions of the linguistic narrative minimally require two temporally linked past-time events. The role of space in this definition, based on spatial language indicating where events occur, is considered optional and non-structural. However, based on narratives with a high frequency of spatial language, recent research has questioned this perspective, suggesting that space is more critical than may be readily apparent. Through an analysis of spatially rich serial criminal narratives, it will be demonstrated that spatial information qualitatively varies relative to narrative events. In particular, statistical classifiers in a supervised machine learning task achieve a 90% accuracy in predicting Pre-Crime, Crime, and Post-Crime events based on spatial (and temporal information. Overall, these results suggest a deeper spatial organization of discourse, which not only provides practical event resolution possibilities, but also challenges traditional formal linguistic definitions of narrative.

  12. The Power of Perspective in The Raven Cycle

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrea Dumančić

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Beginning with the discussion of the terms narration and narrative, the paper asserts the difference between point of view, which is defined as “who” tells a story, and perspective, which shows “how” a narrator / a character perceives the events making up the story. To show the power of perspective in a literary work, the paper focuses on the young adult novel series The Raven Cycle by Maggie Stiefvater. The five main characters – Blue Sargent, Richard Gansey III, Adam Parrish, Ronan Lynch, and Noah Czerny – have been given unique perspectives that are unveiled through their separate character arcs. Blue’s perspective is clad with assumptions; Gansey’s is a clash between the perceived and the perceiving; Adam’s comes to light only when compared to other characters’ perspectives; Ronan’s is postponed and contrary to expectations; Noah’s is absent until the very end of the series.

  13. THE INSTITUTION NARRATIVE OF THE HISPANO-MOZARABIC EUCHARISTIC PRAYER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. VOLKOV

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available The paper analyzes the Institution narrative of the Eucharistic Prayer of the Hispano-Mozarabic rite, which belongs to the group of ancient non-Roman Latin liturgies. The study draws upon a few 9th-11th-century liturgical manuscripts, and on a number of printed Missals from the 16th century onwards. The contents of the Intstitution narrative is examined from the perspective of both theology and liturgical history; a textological analysis and a comparison with the New Testament sources is also provided. The paper pays special attention to an interpolation in the Institution narrative, which emerged in the fi rst printed edition of the Hispano-Mozarabic Missal of AD 1500.

  14. Ethics of End of Life Decisions in Pediatrics: A Narrative Review of the Roles of Caregivers, Shared Decision-Making, and Patient Centered Values

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan D. Santoro

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available Background: This manuscript reviews unique aspects of end of life decision-making in pediatrics. Methods: A narrative literature review of pediatric end of life issues was performed in the English language. Results: While a paternalistic approach is typically applied to children with life-limiting medical prognoses, the cognitive, language, and physical variability in this patient population is wide and worthy of review. In end of life discussions in pediatrics, the consideration of a child’s input is often not reviewed in depth, although a shared decision-making model is ideal for use, even for children with presumed limitations due to age. This narrative review of end of life decision-making in pediatric care explores nomenclature, the introduction of the concept of death, relevant historical studies, limitations to the shared decision-making model, the current state of end of life autonomy in pediatrics, and future directions and needs. Although progress is being made toward a more uniform and standardized approach to care, few non-institutional protocols exist. Complicating factors in the lack of guidelines include the unique facets of pediatric end of life care, including physical age, paternalism, the cognitive and language capacity of patients, subconscious influencers of parents, and normative values of death in pediatrics. Conclusions: Although there have been strides in end of life decision-making in pediatrics, further investigation and research is needed in this field.

  15. Ethics of End of Life Decisions in Pediatrics: A Narrative Review of the Roles of Caregivers, Shared Decision-Making, and Patient Centered Values.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santoro, Jonathan D; Bennett, Mariko

    2018-04-26

    Background: This manuscript reviews unique aspects of end of life decision-making in pediatrics. Methods: A narrative literature review of pediatric end of life issues was performed in the English language. Results: While a paternalistic approach is typically applied to children with life-limiting medical prognoses, the cognitive, language, and physical variability in this patient population is wide and worthy of review. In end of life discussions in pediatrics, the consideration of a child’s input is often not reviewed in depth, although a shared decision-making model is ideal for use, even for children with presumed limitations due to age. This narrative review of end of life decision-making in pediatric care explores nomenclature, the introduction of the concept of death, relevant historical studies, limitations to the shared decision-making model, the current state of end of life autonomy in pediatrics, and future directions and needs. Although progress is being made toward a more uniform and standardized approach to care, few non-institutional protocols exist. Complicating factors in the lack of guidelines include the unique facets of pediatric end of life care, including physical age, paternalism, the cognitive and language capacity of patients, subconscious influencers of parents, and normative values of death in pediatrics. Conclusions: Although there have been strides in end of life decision-making in pediatrics, further investigation and research is needed in this field.

  16. Narratives boost entrepreneurial attitudes: Making an entrepreneurial career attractive?†

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-01-01

    Abstract This article analyses the impact of narratives on entrepreneurial attitudes and intentions. To this end, a quasi‐experiment was conducted to evaluate web‐based entrepreneurial narratives. The paired‐sample tests and regression analysis use a sample of 466 people from Austria, Finland, and Greece and indicate that individuals’ perceptions of the desirability of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial intention are significantly different before and after exposure to entrepreneurial narratives. Furthermore, the findings indicate that perceptions of the feasibility of entrepreneurship are more strongly affected by videos than by cases. From a policy perspective, this study raises awareness that entrepreneurship is an attractive career path. PMID:29863170

  17. Texts, Transmissions, Receptions. Modern Approaches to Narratives

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lardinois, A.P.M.H.; Levie, S.A.; Hoeken, H.; Lüthy, C.H.

    2015-01-01

    The papers collected in this volume study the function and meaning of narrative texts from a variety of perspectives. The word 'text' is used here in the broadest sense of the term: it denotes literary books, but also oral tales, speeches, newspaper articles and comics. One of the purposes of this

  18. What is life? Bio-physical perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gladyshev, G P

    2009-01-01

    Life arises and develops in gravitationally bound atomic systems, under certain conditions, in the presence of the inflow of energy. A condition of structural dynamic reactivity to the energy inflow qualifies what are anthropomorphically considered as "alive objects". Alive objects, in this perspective, include such rudimentary animate atomic structures as the retinal molecule C20H28o to the herpes simplex virus C102H152N26o29 to the human being, a twenty-six element atomic structure, which can be quantified further as thermodynamic quasi-closed supramolecular systems, which are part of natural open systems. These systems appear and evolve in periodic conditions near to internal equilibrium. This systems attribute of dynamic life can be understood further by the determination and use of mathematical "state functions", which are functions that quantify the state of a system defined by the ensemble of physical quantities: temperature, pressure, composition, etc., which characterize the system, but neither by its surroundings nor by its history. In this view, the phenomenon of a life is easily understood as a general consequence of the laws of the universe, in particular, the laws of thermodynamics, which in the geocentric perspective translate to a formulation of "hierarchical thermodynamics" and a "principle of substance stability". The formation of living thermodynamic structures, in short, arises on the nanolevel by a constantly varying environment that causes variety of living forms. The definition of a life as the bio-chemical-physical phenomenon can thus be given on the basis of the exact sciences, i. e. chemistry, physics, and thermodynamics, without mention of numerous private attributes of a living substance and without physically baseless models of mathematical modeling, such as Prigoginean thermodynamics.

  19. Trauma and Self-Narrative in Virtual Reality: Toward Recreating a Healthier Mind

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iva Georgieva

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This study discusses the concept of virtual selves created in the virtual spaces [e.g. social network services or virtual reality (VR]. It analyzes the activities in the different virtual spaces and claims that experience gained there can be transferred to real life. In respect to that, the effects of the VR treatment on the self as well as the concept of creating a life story are analyzed as interconnected. The research question which arises from these considerations is how to look at psychological trauma in order to explain the effectiveness of the usage of VR for treatment of traumatic disorders. The proposal in the study is to see trauma as a shift in the normal storyline of the narrative people create. With this concept in mind, it might be possible to support the claim that reliving traumatic events, regaining control over one’s life narrative, and creating new stories in the VR aids the treatment process in the search for meaning and resolution in life events. Considering the findings of researchers who argue in the field of self-narrative and traumatic treatment, as well as researchers on virtual selves, virtual spaces and VR, this study discusses the virtual as a possible medium to experience narratives and utilize those narratives as better explanatory stories to facilitate the therapeutic process of recovery and self-recreation. This study supports the idea that VR can be used to visualize patients’ narratives and help them perceive themselves as active authors of their life’s story by retelling traumatic episodes with additional explanation. This experience in the VR is utilized to form healthier narratives and coping techniques for robust therapeutic results that are transferred to real life.

  20. Narrative empathy and illness memoirs: Arthur Frank's At the Will of the Body and Kathlyn Conway's Ordinary Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baena, Rosalia

    2017-09-01

    This article analyses the concept of narrative empathy in illness memoirs. These texts negotiate the narrative identity of an autobiographer as he or she recounts the disruptive experience of illness, an experience in which physical and emotional traces dramatically and definitively shape our sense of self. While narrative emotions are certainly deployed in these autobiographies in order to connect with the readers and promote social change, this empathic connection is not so much aimed at arousing compassion but rather more positive emotions on the experience of illness. I will explore the emotional representations of cancer in Arthur Frank's At the Will of the Body (1991) and Kathlyn Conway's Ordinary Life: A Memoir of Illness (1997), focusing on the identity strategies these authors use in order to become affirmative models of disability and illness, showing the damaging effects not of disease or impairment but, rather, of the cultural mythologies that interpret those conditions in reductive or disparaging ways. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

  1. Meir Sternberg, Telling in Time II: Chronology, Theleology, Narrativity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franco Passalacqua

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available The central section of Telling in Time II directs the attention to the consequences coming from the meeting between time and narrative considered in the first part of this essay: rhetorical strategies, narratives effects, teleological dynamic of surprise are all questions that belong to the pragmatic dimension of Sternberg’s critical perspective. The first chapters concern these narratives effects that took part in the critical debate since Aristotle and they are developed beginning from theoretical premises (pragmatical and teleological that enable to examine them from a renew point of view: if the Aristotelian concept of «discovery» (anagnorisis and «reversal» (peripeteia went in the modern narrative theorizations without facing any alteration, keeping their anchorage to the narrated world and not to the narrative modalities, Telling in Time II on the contrary, suggest to consider them in relation of their «communicative functioning» and in the so-called Proteus Principle. In the last chapters of the essay, Sternberg, after having explained such theoretical setting, takes these narrative dynamics – with the addition of “curiosity” and “surprise” – as constant element of the narrative genre, placing them at the base of the relations between the teleological level and the representative one that constitutes the central point of Sternberg’s critical purpose.

  2. The Narrative Reproduction of Contemporary Montenegrin Identity in The Process of Euroatlantic Intergrations (Part I

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Branko Banović

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available If we conceptualize reality as a large narrative we “build ourselves into” as social beings, and consider social activities and identities as narratively mediated, the full extent of the capacity of narratives in the creation, shaping, transmission and reconstruction of contemporary social identities, as well as the reproduction of the concept of nation in everyday life becomes apparent. The imagined Euro- Atlantic future of Montenegro demands certain narrative interpretations of the past, which, in latter stages tend to become meta-narratives susceptible to consensus. The linkage of significant historical events to the process of Euro-Atlantic integrations of Montenegro is preformed through different meta-discursive practices, most often through ceremonial evocations of memories of significant events from the recent as well as further history of Montenegro. In this context, celebrations of Statehood Day and Independence Day are especially important, as they serve as reminders of the decisions of the Congress of Berlin, the Podgorica Assembly, the antifascist struggle of World War II and the independence of Montenegro attained through the referendum held in 2006. The clearly defined key points, along with the logical coherence the narrative is based on, provide the narrative with a certain “flexibility” which enables it to take in new elements. Narrative interpretations of the past have a significant role in the reproduction of the nation, as well as the shaping and consolidation of a desirable national identity, while the established narrative continuity between the past, present and imagined Euro-Atlantic future of Montenegro emerges as the “official” mediator in the reproduction of contemporary Montenegrin identity in the process of Euro-Atlantic integration. In order to fully comprehend this narrative, it is advisable to conceptualize it both in a synchronic as well as a diachronic perspective, as can be shown in two charts which

  3. Quality of life from a transcultural nursing perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leininger, M

    1994-01-01

    The author presents research findings derived from Leininger's theory of culture care diversity and universality bearing upon quality of life. She holds that since quality of life is culturally constituted and patterned, it needs to be studied and understood from a transcultural nursing perspective in order to advance nursing as a discipline and profession. Five major cultures are presented to illustrate culturally constituted dominant care patterns related to quality of life. These comparative data reflect more diversity than universality among the cultures. The author encourages nurse researchers to move beyond present-day overemphasis on individualism and to discover dominant transcultural care values and patterns of emic and etic knowledge focused on quality of life, health, and well-being.

  4. Homeless Aging Veterans in Transition: A Life-Span Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carla J. Thompson

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The need for counseling and career/educational services for homeless veterans has captured political and economic venues for more than 25 years. Veterans are three times more likely to become homeless than the general population if veterans live in poverty or are minority veterans. This mixed methods study emphasized a life-span perspective approach for exploring factors influencing normative aging and life-quality of 39 homeless veterans in Alabama and Florida. Seven descriptive quantitative and qualitative research questions framed the investigation. Study participants completed a quantitative survey reflecting their preferences and needs with a subset of the sample (N=12 also participating in individual qualitative interview sessions. Thirty-two service providers and stakeholders completed quantitative surveys. Empirical and qualitative data with appropriate triangulation procedures provided interpretive information relative to a life-span development perspective. Study findings provide evidence of the need for future research efforts to address strategies that focus on the health and economic challenges of veterans before they are threatened with the possibility of homelessness. Implications of the study findings provide important information associated with the premise that human development occurs throughout life with specific characteristics influencing the individual’s passage. Implications for aging/homelessness research are grounded in late-life transitioning and human development intervention considerations.

  5. Putting Nature to the Rack: Narrative Studies as Research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, David

    Narrative study of teachers and teaching is seen as sited at the intersection of many current intellectual and professional concerns. These include not only classroom practice and professional careers, but also the Self, Experience, Memory, Identity, Autobiography, Life History, Agency, and Structure. Narrative as genre presents post-modernist…

  6. In Their Own Words: Using Narratives to Teach Gerontology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shenk, Dena; Davis, Boyd; Murray, Louise

    2008-01-01

    In narrative constructed in conversations, older adults often present "small stories." These narrative fragments provide extensive information about their experiences, values, and aspects of their lives that can be used to help learners understand key concepts about aging and the life course. The authors provide an overview of approaches…

  7. Mobility narratives that move me

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lysgaard, Jonas Andreasen; Kronlid, David

    and fiction. By opposing the classic anthropocentric ontological split between human (discourse) and object, fiction and Reality, OOO opens up for a new understanding of the role of narratives as independent objects on the same scale as grains of sand, universities, axolotls and planets. In short...... of speed, acceleration, the rhythm of technogenic moving and mooring, which can be translated into an understanding of our own movements and moorings through life and how we engage with new things, such as mediating new information through a certain pace, rhythm, movement, acceleration, slowing down....... This fictive/Real example of a narrative object illustrates that regardless of the metaphysical status of what/who we encounter in education and throughout life, if this experience becomes meaningful to us, we are navigating around them, towards them, and enmesh with them in the same principle ways...

  8. Narrative self-appropriation: embodiment, alienness, and personal responsibility in the context of borderline personality disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Køster, Allan

    2017-12-01

    It is often emphasised that persons diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) show difficulties in understanding their own psychological states. In this article, I argue that from a phenomenological perspective, BPD can be understood as an existential modality in which the embodied self is profoundly saturated by an alienness regarding the person's own affects and responses. However, the balance of familiarity and alienness is not static, but can be cultivated through, e.g., psychotherapy. Following this line of thought, I present the idea that narrativising experiences can play an important role in processes of appropriating such embodied self-alienness. Importantly, the notion of narrative used is that of a scalar conception of narrativity as a variable quality of experience that comes in degrees. From this perspective, narrative appropriation is a process of gradually attributing the quality of narrativity to experiences, thereby familiarising the moods, affects, and responses that otherwise govern 'from behind'. Finally, I propose that the idea of a narrative appropriation of embodied self-alienness is also relevant to the much-debated question of personal responsibility in BPD, particularly as this question plays out in psychotherapeutic contexts where a narrative self-appropriation may facilitate an increase in sense of autonomy and reduce emotions of guilt and shame.

  9. Recovering from chronic myeloid leukemia: the patients' perspective seen through the lens of narrative medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Graffigna, G; Cecchini, I; Breccia, M; Capochiani, E; Della Seta, R; Galimberti, S; Melosi, A; Simonetti, F; Pizzuti, M; Capalbo, S F; Falzetti, F; Mazza, P; Di Renzo, N; Mastrullo, L; Rapezzi, D; Orlandi, E; Intermesoli, T; Iurlo, A; Pungolino, E; Pacilli, M

    2017-10-01

    The main objective of this study is to gain a deeper understanding of how patients suffering from chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) cope with their illness. The study aims to reconstruct the subjective meaning-making process related to CML in order to gain insights into the impact the disease has on patients' emotions and everyday lives, as well as to explore the psychological impact of their being presented with the chance to suspend their therapy and recover from the disease. Data were gathered from a qualitative study conducted in Italy on 158 Italian CML patients. Basing the study on the narrative inquiry approach, the patients were required to describe their patient journey in a qualitative narrative diary. These contained prompts to elicit the free expression of their needs, expectations, and priorities. A lexicographic analysis was carried out with T-LAB software and in particular a thematic analysis of elementary contexts (TAECs) and a word association analysis (WAA). The TAEC detected four thematic clusters related to two factors (temporal frame and contextual setting) that explained the variance among the narratives. The WAA evidenced a wide variety of emotions, both positive and negative, as patients reacted to the possibility of interrupting their therapy. A better understanding of patients' experiences can offer insights into promoting the development of more sustainable healthcare services and into therapeutic innovation aimed at improving patients' quality of life and at engaging them more in their treatment. The findings of this study can also help make medical professionals more aware of the patient's burden and help them identify potential interactions and emotional levers to improve clinical relationships.

  10. THE POMERANIAN MUSIC AS A NARRATIVE OF CULTURAL MEMORY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danilo Kuhn da Silva

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available One aims to investigate the Pomeranian music from southern Rio Grande do Sul, under the perspective of the cultural memory’s narrative. The main goal is to analyze Pomeranian songs from the rural area of the city São Lourenço do Sul, as well as identifying the relations they maintain with the community. First, one exposes historical and cultural information about the Pomeranians. Afterwards, one presents two particular Pomeranian songs, emphasizing musical aspects. Finally, one focuses the way the collective memory and culture are narrated though songs by the community.

  11. Omaeluloolisus eesti teatris: Merle Karusoo lavastustest. Life Narratives and Estonian Theatre: The Productions of Merle Karusoo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piret Kruuspere

    2012-04-01

    Full Text Available Any consideration of Estonian theatre from the point of view of biographical theatre needs to include the work of playwright and director Merle Karusoo. Productions based on various life narratives (diaries, letters, biographical interviews form the core of her work that can be defined as biographical or memory theatre. Her work has also been viewed within the context of community theatre or political theatre; Karusoo has herself referred to her work as sociological theatre. Life narratives have functioned in Karusoo’s productions as the basis for restoring oppressed or denied collective discourses of memory. Her productions emerged within the framework of the more general process of restoration of historical heritage and the rehabilitation of collective memory at the end of the 1980s and the beginning of the 1990s. Life story can be viewed as the essence of Merle Karusoo’s theatre. The personal in the life story in the production activates the emotional memory of the audience; for older generations such theatre facilitates a legitimisation of remembering one’s life story in entirety, and for younger generations it functions as a vehicle of collective, historical and national memory. The current article outlines the main stages of Karusoo’s biographical theatre, highlights major productions of each stage and provides an overview of their reception. Karusoo’s theatre dates back to 1980s. Productions based on life stories of the generations born in 1950s and 1960s, Meie elulood (Our Biographies and Kui ruumid on täis ... (Full Rooms both in 1982, mediated fragments of life stories of 16 drama students, focusing on the processes of self-conception and -reflection of young persons. In the context of the Soviet regime that exerted firm ideological control over the private lives of its citizens, Karusoo’s productions struck an especially powerful and unusual chord. Karusoo’s biographical theatre has gathered momentum and assumed a more

  12. Healing stories: narrative characteristics in cancer survivorship narratives and psychological health among hematopoietic stem cell transplant survivors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benish-Weisman, Maya; Wu, Lisa M; Weinberger-Litman, Sarah L; Redd, William H; Duhamel, Katherine N; Rini, Christine

    2014-08-01

    Survivors of hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) have experienced a life threatening and potentially traumatic illness and treatment that make them vulnerable to long lasting negative psychological outcomes, including anxiety and depression. Nevertheless, studies show that overcoming cancer and its treatment can present an opportunity for personal growth and psychological health (reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression and high levels of emotional well-being) through resilience. However, research has not yet clarified what differentiates HSCT survivors who experience psychological growth from those who do not. By analyzing recovery narratives, we examined whether HSCT survivors' interpretation of their experiences helps explain differences in their post-treatment psychological health. Guided by narrative psychology theory, we analyzed the narratives of 23 HSCT survivors writing about their experience of cancer treatment. Psychological health was measured by: (1) emotional well-being subscale part of the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Bone Marrow Transplant (FACT-BMT), (2) depression, and (3) anxiety subscales of the Brief Symptom Inventory. Findings revealed a positive relation between psychological health and a greater number of redemption episodes (going from an emotionally negative life event to an emotionally positive one) as well as fewer negative emotional expressions. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESULTS: Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed, showing how narratives can inform interventions to assist cancer survivors with their psychological recovery.

  13. Narrative Therapy's Relational Understanding of Identity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Combs, Gene; Freedman, Jill

    2016-06-01

    We describe how we think of identity as relational, distributed, performed, and fluid, and we illustrate the use of this conceptualization within a narrative worldview. Drawing on the work of Michael White, we describe how this relational view of identity leads to therapeutic responses that give value to interconnection across multiple contexts and that focus on becoming rather than on being. We show how a narrative worldview helps focus on the relational, co-evolving perspective that was the basis of our early attraction to family therapy. We offer detailed examples from our work of practices that help us stay firmly situated in a relational worldview that is counter to the pervasive influence of individualism in our contemporary culture. © 2016 Family Process Institute.

  14. The Embedded Narrative: Navigating through Multiple Contexts

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zilber, Tammar B.; Tuval-Mashiach, Rivka; Lieblich, Amia

    2008-01-01

    Narrative psychology theoreticians emphasized the importance of context to the construction, communication, and understanding of individuals' life stories. Still, the various contexts in which, and in reference to which, life stories are told, the methodological implications of the importance of context, and the possible interpretive moves…

  15. Methodological Adaptations for the Discourse Analysis of Children with Intellectual Disability: Narrating Without a Language

    OpenAIRE

    Manghi Haquin, Dominique; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso; Otálora Cornejo, Fabiola; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso; Arancibia M., Marianela; Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso

    2017-01-01

    Given the need to understand the forms of communication of people with intellectual disability, as to favor their social participation, this study deals with narration as a self-managed instance of discourse beyond language. The purpose is to standardize a methodology which allows us to explore their narrative discourse using a multi-modal perspective. The description corresponds to narrations of fifteen Chilean children of school age with intellectual disability and low development of oral l...

  16. The limits of narrative: provocations for the medical humanities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Angela

    2011-12-01

    This paper aims to (re)ignite debate about the role of narrative in the medical humanities. It begins with a critical review of the ways in which narrative has been mobilised by humanities and social science scholars to understand the experience of health and illness. I highlight seven dangers or blind spots in the dominant medical humanities approach to narrative, including the frequently unexamined assumption that all human beings are 'naturally narrative'. I then explore this assumption further through an analysis of philosopher Galen Strawson's influential article 'Against Narrativity'. Strawson rejects the descriptive claim that "human beings typically see or live or experience their lives as a narrative" and the normative claim that "a richly Narrative outlook is essential to a well-lived life, to true or full personhood". His work has been taken up across a range of disciplines, but its implications in the context of health and illness have not yet been sufficiently discussed. This article argues that 'Against Narrativity' can and should stimulate robust debate within the medical humanities regarding the limits of narrative, and concludes by discussing a range of possibilities for venturing 'beyond narrative'.

  17. The Use of the Clinical Ethnographic Narrative Interview to Understand and Support Help Seeking After Gender-Based Violence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saint Arnault, Denise M

    2017-09-01

    Gender-based violence (GBV), characterized by the abduction or rape of women and girls to humiliate, intimidate, and traumatize them and their communities, is a profoundly disturbing tactic in international conflict. Long after armed conflict has ended, survivors continue to experience physical injuries, psychological trauma, and social and cultural stigma. Guilt, shame, and continued interpersonal violence can become a normalized part of daily life, significantly challenging the road to healing and recovery. Research about self-disclosure and narrative after GBV has shown that help seeking rates are shockingly low, with estimates ranging from 4-27%. From a feminist and a humanistic perspective, studying trauma history and related help seeking is delicate work that must use interview processes that ensure the survivor can tell her story without revictimization, while also aiming to restore personal mastery, empowerment, and self-understanding. Based on theories about benefits and challenges of the narrative after GBV and trauma, we propose that the Clinical Ethnographic Narrative Interview (CENI) allows researchers and practitioners a safe container to examine the complex interplay between suffering, culture, and help seeking. Using this interview, the interviewer and the participant work as partners to define, compare, and contrast the socio-cultural barriers and facilitators of help seeking. This paper explains the narrative theory and the challenges and benefits of the narrative approach after trauma. Then we provide support for the use of the CENI for an understanding of the help seeking process and facilitating a health-promoting narrative interview for survivors. We then address implications for research, practice, and policy.

  18. Power and promise of narrative for advancing physical therapist education and practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenfield, Bruce H; Jensen, Gail M; Delany, Clare M; Mostrom, Elizabeth; Knab, Mary; Jampel, Ann

    2015-06-01

    This perspective article provides a justification for and an overview of the use of narrative as a pedagogical tool for educators to help physical therapist students, residents, and clinicians develop skills of reflection and reflexivity in clinical practice. The use of narratives is a pedagogical approach that provides a reflective and interpretive framework for analyzing and making sense of texts, stories, and other experiences within learning environments. This article describes reflection as a well-established method to support critical analysis of clinical experiences; to assist in uncovering different perspectives of patients, families, and health care professionals involved in patient care; and to broaden the epistemological basis (ie, sources of knowledge) for clinical practice. The article begins by examining how phronetic (ie, practical and contextual) knowledge and ethical knowledge are used in physical therapy to contribute to evidence-based practice. Narrative is explored as a source of phronetic and ethical knowledge that is complementary but irreducible to traditional objective and empirical knowledge-the type of clinical knowledge that forms the basis of scientific training. The central premise is that writing narratives is a cognitive skill that should be learned and practiced to develop critical reflection for expert practice. The article weaves theory with practical application and strategies to foster narrative in education and practice. The final section of the article describes the authors' experiences with examples of integrating the tools of narrative into an educational program, into physical therapist residency programs, and into a clinical practice. © 2015 American Physical Therapy Association.

  19. Narrative interviews: an important resource in qualitative research.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muylaert, Camila Junqueira; Sarubbi, Vicente; Gallo, Paulo Rogério; Neto, Modesto Leite Rolim

    2014-12-01

    Objetives This methodological study explain and emphasize the extent and fertility of the narrative interview in qualitative research. Methods To describe the narrative method within the qualitative research. Results The qualitative research method is characterized by addressing issues related to the singularities of the field and individuals investigated, being the narrative interviews a powerful method for use by researchers who aggregate it. They allow the deepening of research, the combination of life stories with socio-historical contexts, making the understanding of the senses that produce changes in the beliefs and values that motivate and justify the actions of possible informants. Conclusion The use of narrative is an advantageous investigative resource in qualitative research, in which the narrative is a traditional form of communication whose purpose is to serve content from which the subjective experiences can be transmitted.

  20. Postcard and reversed journalism in narratives about cities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Cláudia Peres

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The city is a place of encounters. Journalism often appropriates raw facts and statistic data in order to narrate it. However, there are many ways to understand the urban experience within the field, through accounts that go beyond technical rationality. This paper attempts to understand journalistic narratives as producers of meaning and the city as a text, as proposed by Michel de Certeau. Therefore, we investigate narratives about the city in the magazine piauí as a starting point to examine discursive strategies that by combining the real and the poetic expand the fact, produce dialogues and expose other possible types of journalism. Above all, we aim to provide a reflection on the place that journalism occupies today within the field of knowledge, within an epistemological perspective that considers the material and symbolic, factual and emotional, ethical and aesthetic contexts.

  1. A Narrative Approach to Supporting Students Diagnosed with Learning Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lambie, Glenn W.; Milsom, Amy

    2010-01-01

    Students diagnosed with learning disabilities experience many challenges that school counselors may address through narrative therapy. Narrative therapy is a postmodern, social constructionist approach based on the theoretical construct that individuals create their notions of truth and meaning of life through interpretive stories. This article…

  2. Gender in Asian Movie: Narrative Deconstruction Analysis of Rashomon

    OpenAIRE

    Kusuma, Rina Sari

    2017-01-01

    Movie, as a means of mass communication, narrating life in a set of binary - that have different privilege. This research wants to examine movie entitled Rashomon, directed by Akira Kurosawa in 1950, in narrating gender as one of characters code that gave diverse contradictive testimonies about the same events; rape and murder. Rashomon used multiple narrators that build the same story from different point of view that lead to the subjectivity and relativity of truth which the director didn’t...

  3. A four-part model for narrative genres and identities: evidence from Greek data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Αrgiris Archakis

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available This article presents a tentative typology of narrative genres based on Greek data and following a discourse analytic perspective. Taking into consideration the contemporary literature on narrative, I maintain that the reassessment of the interlocutor’s role and, in general, participants’ interaction in the unfolding of the narrative event have played an important role in shifting the research interest from ‘big’ to ‘small’ narratives. Furthermore, taking into account the medium of the narrative, I propose a four-part model that emerges if a vertical oral/written continuum is intersected horizontally by a dialogue/monologue one (Politis 2001. In this context, I discuss narrative genres such as the monological autobiographical narrative, the conversational narrative of past or future events, the online journalistic narrative (news bulletin, and the printed journalistic narrative (newspaper article. Finally, I argue that, in interactive environments, symmetrical and intimate relations between the interlocutors permit the construction of collective in-group identities. On the contrary, in monological environments, where relations are asymmetrical and there is social distance between interlocutors, the latter’s positionings and, consequently, their identities tend to be primarily –but not necessarily– individual ones.

  4. Perspectives on Nordic Working Life Research

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan Ch. Karlsson

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available Welcome to this Thematic Issue on Perspectives on Nordic Working Life Research! It is perhaps not that surprising that a journal called Nordic Journal of Working Life Studies contains many discussions about “Nordic Models”: What is the Nordic Welfare State Model? What has happened to it lately? Is there still one? Has there ever been one? What about the Nordic Industrial Relations Model—is it on its way to be abandoned? And the Nordic Labor Market Model? Or the Nordic Work Environment Model? In contrast, in the Thematic Issue part of this issue of NJWLS Nordic working life research itself is discussed. Editing the issue has led me to some (selfcritical reflections on Nordic working life research—or perhaps rather reflections on the self-image of Nordic working life researchers. We often say that two of the cornerstones of Nordic working life research are the assumption that there is a positive correlation between employee autonomy at work and higher productivity, and that our research tradition is different from those found in other geographical areas (and, implicitly, probably better. Being part of the Nordic tradition, I too have claimed both, but I now think both needs to be qualified and critically discussed. Or rather, the first needs to be qualified and the consequences of the other critically evaluated (...

  5. Interwoven Story: A Narrative Study of Textiles as Educators

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tremblay-Dion, Catherine-Laura

    2017-01-01

    Drawing from both narrative research and Joe Kincheloe's work of research bricolage this study inquired into how textiles have served as educator throughout my life. Weaving, as the earliest and most integral of textile fabrications, is particularly featured in this narrative inquiry. A loom, in its most basic form, consists of three components; a…

  6. Three methods of multi-source feedback compared: a plea for narrative comments and coworkers' perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Overeem, K; Lombarts, M J M H; Arah, O A; Klazinga, N S; Grol, R P T M; Wollersheim, H C

    2010-01-01

    Doctor performance assessments based on multi-source feedback (MSF) are increasingly central in professional self-regulation. Research has shown that simple MSF is often unproductive. It has been suggested that MSF should be delivered by a facilitator and combined with a portfolio. To compare three methods of MSF for consultants in the Netherlands and evaluate the feasibility, topics addressed and perceived impact upon clinical practice. In 2007, 38 facilitators and 109 consultants participated in the study. The performance assessment system was composed of (i) one of the three MSF methods, namely, Violato's Physician Achievement Review (PAR), the method developed by Ramsey et al. for the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM), or the Dutch Appraisal and Assessment Instrument (AAI), (ii) portfolio, (iii) assessment interview with a facilitator and (iv) personal development plan. The evaluation consisted of a postal survey for facilitators and consultants. Generalized estimating equations were used to assess the association between MSF method used and perceived impact. It takes on average 8 hours to conduct one assessment. The CanMEDS roles 'collaborator', 'communicator' and 'manager' were discussed in, respectively, 79, 74 and 71% of the assessment interviews. The 'health advocate role' was the subject of conversation in 35% of the interviews. Consultants are more satisfied with feedback that contains narrative comments. The perceived impact of MSF that includes coworkers' perspectives significantly exceeds the perceived impact of methods not including this perspective. Performance assessments based on MSF combined with a portfolio and a facilitator-led interview seem to be feasible in hospital settings. The perceived impact of MSF increases when it contains coworkers' perspectives.

  7. Shifting between Third and First Person Points of View in EFL Narratives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shokouhi, Hossein; Daram, Mahmood; Sabah, Somayeh

    2011-01-01

    This article reports on the difference between points of view in narrating a short story. The EFL learners taking part in the control group were required to recount the events from the third person perspective and the subjects in the experimental group from the first person perspective. The methodological frame of the study was based on Koven's…

  8. A Life-Course Perspective on the "Gateway Hypothesis"

    Science.gov (United States)

    Van Gundy, Karen; Rebellon, Cesar J.

    2010-01-01

    Drawing on stress and life-course perspectives and using panel data from 1,286 south Florida young adults, we assess three critical questions regarding the role of marijuana in the "gateway hypothesis." First, does teen marijuana use independently (causally) affect subsequent use of more dangerous substances? Second, if so, does that…

  9. A narrative analysis of Deafhood in South Africa | Morgan | Southern ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This article uses narrative analysis to explore the narrative construction of Deafhood (Ladd, 2003) in the South African post-apartheid context. The data comprise five life stories of Deaf South Africans. The theoretical framework includes Ladd's notion of Deafhood as belonging and becoming and De Certeau's (1984) notions ...

  10. Emotions, narratives, and ethical mindfulness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guillemin, Marilys; Gillam, Lynn

    2015-06-01

    Clinical care is laden with emotions, from the perspectives of both clinicians and patients. It is important that emotions are addressed in health professions curricula to ensure that clinicians are humane healers as well as technical experts. Emotions have a valuable and generative role in health professional ethics education.The authors have previously described a narrative ethics pedagogy, the aim of which is to develop ethical mindfulness. Ethical mindfulness is a state of being that acknowledges everyday ethics and ethically important moments as significant in clinical care, with the aim of enabling ethical clinical practice. Using a sample narrative, the authors extend this concept to examine five features of ethical mindfulness as they relate to emotions: (1) being sensitized to emotions in everyday practice, (2) acknowledging and understanding the ways in which emotions are significant in practice, (3) being able to articulate the emotions at play during ethically important moments, (4) being reflexive and acknowledging both the generative aspects and the limitations of emotions, and (5) being courageous.The process of writing and engaging with narratives can lead to ethical mindfulness, including the capacity to understand and work with emotions. Strategies for productively incorporating emotions in narrative ethics teaching are described. This can be a challenging domain within medical education for both educators and health care students and thus needs to be addressed sensitively and responsibly. The potential benefit of educating health professionals in a way which addresses emotionality in an ethical framework makes the challenges worthwhile.

  11. Transitivity And The Narrator's Role In Selected TRC Testimonies

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Information Technology

    how the different narrators' roles and perspectives on the events shape their ... injustices committed in the past (Truth and Reconciliation of South Africa Report, Vol. ..... testimony, and CDS answers some additional questions from commissioners at .... self-explanatory: CDS construes the police as active participants bent on ...

  12. Trips and the Life Sciences - Perspectives on Limitations to Patentability

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wested, Jakob; Minssen, Timo

    2017-01-01

    This report is based on the material and input that was presented and discussed at the webinar with the title: “Perspectives on limitations to patentability”. The Webinar and the theme where introduced by Prof. Timo Minssen. Then Prof. Nari Lee gave a presentation introducing some of the context ...... and Minssen, Timo, Trips and the Life Sciences - Perspectives on Limitations to Patentability (June 15, 2017). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2986751...

  13. Life for patients with myelofibrosis: the physical, emotional and financial impact, collected using narrative medicine-Results from the Italian 'Back to Life' project.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palandri, Francesca; Benevolo, Giulia; Iurlo, Alessandra; Abruzzese, Elisabetta; Carella, Angelo M; Paoli, Chiara; Palumbo, Giuseppe A; Bonifacio, Massimiliano; Cilloni, Daniela; Andriani, Alessandro; Guarini, Attilio; Turri, Diamante; Elli, Elena Maria; Falcone, Antonietta; Anaclerico, Barbara; Musto, Pellegrino; Di Renzo, Nicola; Tiribelli, Mario; Zambello, Renato; Spinosa, Caterina; Ricco, Alessandra; Raucci, Letizia; Martino, Bruno; Annunziata, Mario; Pascale, Silvia; Liberati, Anna Marina; La Nasa, Giorgio; Maffioli, Margherita; Breccia, Massimo; Pugliese, Novella; Betti, Silvia; Giglio, Gianfranco; Cappuccio, Antonietta; Reale, Luigi

    2018-06-01

    Myelofibrosis (MF) is a chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm characterised by an aggressive clinical course, with disabling symptoms and reduced survival. Patients experience a severely impaired quality of life and their families face the upheaval of daily routines and high disease-related financial costs. The aim of this study was to investigate the perceptions of Italian patients and their caregivers about living with MF and the burden of illness associated with MF. A quali-quantitative questionnaire and a prompted written narrative survey were administered to patients affected by primary or post-essential thrombocythemia/post-polycythaemia vera MF and their primary caregiver in 35 Italian haematological centres. In total, 287 questionnaires were returned by patients and 98 by caregivers, with 215 and 62, respectively, including the narrative. At the time of diagnosis, the most commonly expressed emotional states of patients were fear, distress and anger, confirming the difficulty of this phase. A high level of emotional distress was also reported by caregivers. Along the pathway of care, the ability to cope with the disease differed according to the quality of care received. The mean cost to each patient attributable to MF was estimated as €12,466 per year, with an estimated average annual cost of loss of income of €7774 per patient and €4692 per caregiver. Better understanding of the personal life of MF patients and their families could improve the relationships between health workers and patients, resulting in better focused healthcare pathways and more effective financial support to maintain patients in their social roles.

  14. Understanding teacher identity from a symbolic interactionist perspective: two ethnographic narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brigitte Smit

    2008-02-01

    Full Text Available In this ethnographic inquiry we portray two teacher narratives reflecting educational change in the context of two South African schools. The study was conducted as part of a larger inquiry into ten schools in urban South Africa.¹ A decade of democracy begs some attention to educational progress and reform, from the viewpoint of teachers and with the culture of their schools as the inquiry's landscape. We present two ethnographic narratives, crafted of a typical 'township/rural' school, and an established Afrikaans school, with two teachers as the main social actors. Data were sourced from passive observations, interviews, informal conversations, and journal data. These field texts were analysed for content and narrative using, as methodological frame, the 'Clandininian' "metaphorical three-dimensional inquiry space". Three data themes, teacher authority, commitment to the profession in terms of staying or leaving, and multitasking are theorised from a symbolic interactionist framework, using constructs such as situational, social and personal identity. The major finding of this inquiry speaks to the power of the working context, the educational landscape, which appears to be a much stronger force in the development of teacher identity than national educational policies.

  15. Christian ethical perspectives on marriage and family life in modern Western culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J.M. Vorster

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The past four decades witnessed a tremendous and wide-ranging change in family patterns in Western societies. Amongst these changes are phenomena such as growing number of divorces, births out-of-wedlock, and the absence of fathers because of globalisation, same-sex marriages and cohabitation of people without a marriage contract. Western societies are typified as “highdivorce societies”. Furthermore, in the United States the number of couples cohabiting has increased eightfold since 1970 and it is fair to conclude that the situation is similar in other Western societies. The purpose of the article is to deal with these patterns from a Reformed perspective. The central theoretical argument is that these developments can be perceived as a crisis in view of the Biblical perspectives on marriage and family life. However, the Biblical perspectives not only offer a clear indication of healthy marriage and family life entail, but also indicate that a Christian attitude in marriage and family life can serve as a remedy for the damage caused by the new trends.

  16. Becomings: Narrative Entanglements and Microsociology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Tamboukou

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available In this article, I look back in an art/research experiment of convening an exhibition of women artists and inviting them to a round-table discussion in the context of a sociological conference. The artists who took part in this event had been previously interviewed for a feminist research project, entitled "In the Fold Between Life and Art, a Genealogy of Women Artists". The conference exhibition gave the artists the opportunity to appear to an academic audience and present their work while the round-table discussion created a forum for a narrative event where all women were invited to recount stories of becoming an artist. In looking at this event I want to explore questions around the possibilities and limitations of narratives in microsociological inquiries. In following trails of ARENDT's theorisation of stories, I explore connections and tensions between social, political and cultural entanglements in narrative research. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs1501193

  17. Will and Narrative: Kierkegaard's Notion of the Person

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dalsgaard, Matias Møl

    2010-01-01

    Within philosophy and psychology the view is today being advanced that the well-being of a person is essentially related to the person's capacity to construct and live out meaningful life narratives. Most notably, thinkers such as Alasdair MacIntyre, Paul Ricoeur and Charles Taylor represent this...... willing to be oneself. In discussing the notion of willing wholeheartedly the paper links Kierkegaard to Harry G. Frankfurt's philosophy of personhood.......Within philosophy and psychology the view is today being advanced that the well-being of a person is essentially related to the person's capacity to construct and live out meaningful life narratives. Most notably, thinkers such as Alasdair MacIntyre, Paul Ricoeur and Charles Taylor represent...

  18. A story of change: The influence of narrative on African-Americans with diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goddu, Anna P; Raffel, Katie E; Peek, Monica E

    2015-08-01

    To understand if narratives can be effective tools for diabetes empowerment, from the perspective of African-American participants in a program that improved diabetes self-efficacy and self-management. In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with program graduates. Participants were asked to comment on the program's film, storytelling, and role-play, and whether those narratives had contributed to their diabetes behavior change. An iterative process of coding, analyzing, and summarizing transcripts was completed using the framework approach. African-American adults (n=36) with diabetes reported that narratives positively influenced the diabetes behavior change they had experienced by improving their attitudes/beliefs while increasing their knowledge/skills. The social proliferation of narrative - discussing stories, rehearsing their messages with role-play, and building social support through storytelling - was reported as especially influential. Utilizing narratives in group settings may facilitate health behavior change, particularly in minority communities with traditions of storytelling. Theoretical models explaining narrative's effect on behavior change should consider the social context of narratives. Narratives may be promising tools to promote diabetes empowerment. Interventions using narratives may be more effective if they include group time to discuss and rehearse the stories presented, and if they foster an environment conducive to social support among participants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. A story of change: The influence of narrative on African-Americans with diabetes

    Science.gov (United States)

    Goddu, Anna P.; Raffel, Katie E.; Peek, Monica E.

    2015-01-01

    Objective To understand if narratives can be effective tools for diabetes empowerment, from the perspective of African-American participants in a program that improved diabetes self-efficacy and self-management. Methods In-depth interviews and focus groups were conducted with program graduates. Participants were asked to comment on the program's film, storytelling, and role-play, and whether those narratives had contributed to their diabetes behavior change. An iterative process of coding, analyzing, and summarizing transcripts was completed using the framework approach. Results African-American adults (n = 36) with diabetes reported that narratives positively influenced the diabetes behavior change they had experienced by improving their attitudes/beliefs while increasing their knowledge/skills. The social proliferation of narrative – discussing stories, rehearsing their messages with role-play, and building social support through storytelling – was reported as especially influential. Conclusion Utilizing narratives in group settings may facilitate health behavior change, particularly in minority communities with traditions of storytelling. Theoretical models explaining narrative's effect on behavior change should consider the social context of narratives. Practice implications Narratives may be promising tools to promote diabetes empowerment. Interventions using narratives may be more effective if they include group time to discuss and rehearse the stories presented, and if they foster an environment conducive to social support among participants. PMID:25986500

  20. Narratives of the double bind: Intersectionality in life stories of women of color in physics, astrophysics and astronomy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ko, Lily T.; Kachchaf, Rachel R.; Ong, Maria; Hodari, Apriel K.

    2013-01-01

    This paper presents themes on the life stories of women of color in physics, astrophysics and astronomy. Drawing from our NSF-sponsored project, Beyond the Double Bind: Women of Color in STEM, we share findings from 10 interviews and 41 extant texts (about 23 women in varied life stages). Employing intersectionality theory and narrative analysis, our study contributes a critical analysis of how the intersection of gender and race affects performance, identity, persistence and overall career and education experiences in the physical sciences. Our findings both support existing literature on women of color in STEM, as well as bring to light two major, emergent issues: the importance of activism, and school/work-life balance. This research will add to the knowledge base about strategies for retaining women of color--widely considered an untapped source of domestic talent that could fill the country's scientific workforce needs.

  1. Narrative analysis: how students learn from stories of practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Sharon Lorraine

    2016-01-01

    To describe and recommend a variety of data analysis methods when engaging in narrative research using story as an aid to nursing students' learning. Narrative research methodology is used in many nursing research studies. However, narrative research reports are generally unspecific regarding the analysis and interpretive process. This article examines the qualitative analytical approaches of Lieblich et al's ( 1998 ) narrative processes of holistic content and analysis of form, incorporated as overarching theories. To support these theories and to provide a more rounded analytical process, other authors' work is included. Approaching narrative analysis from different perspectives is recommended. For each cycle of analysis, it is important to conceptualise the analysis using descriptors drawn from the initial literature review and the initial text. Rigour and transparency are foremost, and tables are generated that reflect each stage of the analysis. The final stage of analysis is to clearly report, organise and present findings to reflect the richly varied and diverse potential of stories. Engaging in narrative research and then dealing with the large quantities of data to analyse can be daunting, difficult to manage and appear complex. It is also challenging and rewarding. With clear descriptors, examining the data using multiple lenses can serve to develop a greater level of insight into understanding nursing students' learning from their clinical experiences, presented as stories, when involved in the care of individuals. There are many approaches to narrative analysis in nursing research and it can be difficult to establish the main research approach best suited to the study. There is no single way to define narrative analysis and a combination of strategies can be applied.

  2. Driven by the future : Future time perspective across life domains and cultures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Andre, L.

    2018-01-01

    Contemplating about the future is inevitable for our life and goal strivings. Consequently, Future Time Perspective (FTP) – individuals’ attitudes towards the future as a motivator for attitudes and behaviors – has been researched across disciplines and life domains. However, little is known about

  3. The life-course perspective and social policies : An overview of the issues

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Bovenberg, A.L.

    2008-01-01

    A number of trends are changing the nature of social risks and increase the importance of human capital, adaptability, and flexibility. This article discusses the usefulness of a life-course perspective in developing proactive social policies that better fit the changing life cycles of individuals

  4. Survivors' perspective of life after stroke

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jaine Kareny da Silva

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This aim of this interpretive case study was to understand meanings of the experience of illness from the perspective of eight survivors of stroke. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews and qualitative thematic analysis. The experience of stroke generated negative feelings such as fear of death, disability, loss of autonomy and inability to work. Social support of family and religion was essential to cope with the changes in everyday life and inefficiency of the health care network experienced by the participants. Lack of guidance was identified, especially from nurses, for home care of patients. The results of the study suggest the need to strengthen health education on predictive symptoms of stroke, awareness of the impacts of this disease on the life of survivors, and the need for multidisciplinary health care teams to encourage proactivity of survivors' family members.

  5. Identity as "knowing your place": the narrative construction of space in a healthcare profession.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Vuuren, Mark; Westerhof, Gerben J

    2015-03-01

    The construction of space in which a story takes place can have important consequences for the evaluation of health interventions. In this article, we explore the ways professionals narratively position themselves in a situation, treating identity literally as "knowing one's place." More specifically, we explore the spatial language health professionals use to describe their work. Using descriptions of professionals in a drug habilitation organization, we illustrate how they use route (i.e., an active tour through the space), survey (i.e., a stationary viewpoint from above), and gaze perspectives (i.e. a stable viewpoint onto a place) to explain the work situations they encounter. Each of these perspectives facilitates a different mode of evaluation in terms of distance, emotion, and identity. We propose opportunities for research and implications of the ways in which spaces and spatial perspectives set the scene in the narratives of healthcare professionals. © The Author(s) 2015.

  6. Queer English Language Teacher Identity: A Narrative Exploration in Colombia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lander, Roderick

    2018-01-01

    This article presents partial results of research exploring links between language teacher identity and queer identity in English language teachers working in Colombia. Three gay male teachers participated in a narrative research project framed within a poststructural perspective on identity. I conducted and recorded semi-structured interviews…

  7. Modern architecture in a life cycle perspective

    OpenAIRE

    Vestergaard, Inge

    2017-01-01

    By confronting the mistakes from the Modern Movement, the ideas of modernistic architecture are under pressure. This paper will summarize the primary architectural mistakes of the mono-functional thinking in planning and building and the non-appropriate environmental dispositions of the big plans from the 60s and will suggest a holistic and broader life-cycle perspective on housing from the welfare society. On one hand, we care for the strong Modern Movements manifestoes in the form of archit...

  8. The Limits of Narrative: Provocations for the Medical Humanities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woods, Angela

    2014-01-01

    This paper aims to (re)ignite debate about the role of narrative in the medical humanities. It begins with a critical review of the ways in which narrative has been mobilised by humanities and social science scholars to understand the experience of health and illness. I highlight seven dangers or blind spots in the dominant medical humanities approach to narrative, including the frequently unexamined assumption that all human beings are “naturally narrative.” I then explore this assumption further through an analysis of philosopher Galen Strawson’s influential article “Against Narrativity.” Strawson rejects the descriptive claim that “human beings typically see or live or experience their lives as a narrative” and the normative claim that “a richly Narrative outlook is essential to a well-lived life, to true or full personhood.” His work has been taken up across a range of disciplines but its implications in the context of health and illness have not yet been sufficiently discussed. This article argues that “Against Narrativity” can and should stimulate robust debate within the medical humanities regarding the limits of narrative, and concludes by discussing a range of possibilities for venturing “beyond narrative.” PMID:22038696

  9. Flexicurity from the Individual's Work/Life Balance Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Trine Pernille

    forms of numerical flexibility, income support and active labour market and educational policy. Indeed, flexicurity studies often neglect other forms of flexibility and security, which appears crucial for individual employees, mainly women's, work/life balance, although Wilthagen and colleagues stress......., 2008:14). This paper calls for a more nuanced concept of flexicurity, which takes the individual's work/life balance perspective into consideration. It will argue that the constraints employees' face in their daily lives due to caring responsibilities have significant implications for their flexibility...... balance literature, this paper argues that inadequate workplace policies and in particular insufficient child- and elder care services often account for employees' work/life balance problems and in some instances force them to reduce their weekly working hours, seek new employment or prevent them from...

  10. Telling a (good?) counterstory of aging: natural bodybuilding meets the narrative of decline.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phoenix, Cassandra; Smith, Brett

    2011-09-01

    In Western society, the narrative of decline dominates the aging process. We know very little about the complexities of how people resist this narrative. The purpose of this article is to understand how a group of mature natural bodybuilders resisted the narrative of decline. In-depth life story interviews were conducted with 13 natural bodybuilders aged between 50 and 73 years. Verbatim transcripts were produced and the data analyzed using a structural narrative analysis. A dialogical analysis was also utilized. The participants' experiences did not fit with stereotypical assumptions about decline and deterioration in older age. They all told counterstories to "natural" aging, yet what differed was how the participants' counterstories resisted the narrative of decline and the level of resistance that they provided. We advance knowledge in the fields of aging and narrative inquiry by revealing the multidimensionality of resistance. We demonstrated how participants storied resistance in different ways and the important implications this had for the way aging was understood and acted upon-by themselves and potentially by others. In addition to advancing theoretical knowledge, in this article, we also significantly contribute to understandings of the potential of narrative for changing human lives and behavior across the life course in more positive and nuanced ways.

  11. Empowerment through Narrative: Considerations for Teaching, Learning and Life.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alter, Gloria

    1993-01-01

    Power based on self-assertion, openness, and human connection is the hallmark of empowered classrooms and schools. The process of more fully exercising power can be greatly enhanced by using narrative. Empowered individuals and groups reveal their strength in the nurturing of many voices and in the subsequent transformation of their lives. Sample…

  12. Becoming a vampire without being bitten: the narrative collective-assimilation hypothesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gabriel, Shira; Young, Ariana F

    2011-08-01

    We propose the narrative collective-assimilation hypothesis--that experiencing a narrative leads one to psychologically become a part of the collective described within the narrative. In a test of this hypothesis, participants read passages from either a book about wizards (from the Harry Potter series) or a book about vampires (from the Twilight series). Both implicit and explicit measures revealed that participants who read about wizards psychologically became wizards, whereas those who read about vampires psychologically became vampires. The results also suggested that narrative collective assimilation is psychologically meaningful and relates to the basic human need for connection. Specifically, the tendency to fulfill belongingness needs through group affiliation moderated the extent to which narrative collective assimilation occurred, and narrative collective assimilation led to increases in life satisfaction and positive mood, two primary outcomes of belonging. The implications for the importance of narratives, the need to belong to groups, and social surrogacy are discussed.

  13. Drawings vs. narratives: drawing as a tool to encourage verbalization in children whose fathers are drug abusers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lev-Wiesel, Rachel; Liraz, Revital

    2007-01-01

    The study aimed to examine the extent to which the use of drawing prior to narrative description increases the richness of the narrative given by children who are exposed to a succession of negative life events. The sample consisted of study and comparison groups (60 children: 27 boys, 33 girls), ranging in age from 9 to 14, whose fathers were addicted to drugs. The study group was asked to first 'draw your life in the shadow of your father's addiction to drugs', then verbally describes 'your life under the shadow of an addicted father'; the comparison group was asked only the latter. Following evaluation of drawings and narratives by two judges, analysis of variance between the groups' narratives revealed that when children were first asked to draw, their narratives were more detailed and more revealing of emotions compared to children who were asked only to verbally describe their lives, whereas expressions of resistance and splitting were more apparent in the comparison group.

  14. Assessing client self-narrative change in emotion-focused therapy of depression: an intensive single case analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Angus, Lynne E; Kagan, Fern

    2013-12-01

    Personality researchers use the term self-narrative to refer to the development of an overall life story that places life events in a temporal sequence and organizes them in accordance to overarching themes. In turn, it is often the case that clients seek out psychotherapy when they can no longer make sense of their life experiences, as a coherent story. Angus and Greenberg (L. Angus and L. Greenberg, 2011, Working with narrative in emotion-focused therapy: Changing stories, healing lives. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association Press) view the articulation and consolidation of an emotionally integrated self-narrative account as an important part of the therapeutic change process that is essential for sustained change in emotion-focused therapy of depression. The purpose of the present study was to investigate client experiences of change, and self-narrative reconstruction, in the context of one good outcome emotion-focused therapy dyad drawn from the York II Depression Study. Using the Narrative Assessment Interview (NAI) method, client view of self and experiences of change were assessed at three points in time--after session one, at therapy termination, and at 6 months follow-up. Findings emerging from an intensive narrative theme analyses of the NAI transcripts--and 1 key therapy session identified by the client--are reported and evidence for the contributions of narrative and emotion processes to self-narrative change in emotion-focused therapy of depression are discussed. Finally, the implications of assessing clients' experiences of self-narrative change for psychotherapy research and practice are addressed.

  15. Touched in sensation--moved by respiration: embodied narrative identity--a treatment process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sviland, Randi; Råheim, Målfrid; Martinsen, Kari

    2012-12-01

    The aim of this theoretical article is to elaborate on the underpinning of Norwegian psychomotor physiotherapy (NPMP). With a narrative and hermeneutic point of departure, we explore the unfolding of a 10-year-long treatment by analysing a particular narrative from this treatment context in relation to some foundational perspectives on movement, sensation and time. A woman in her late thirties suffering from muscular tensions and pain, depression, anxiety and anorexia, came for NPMP. The investigation of her treatment experience is based on the journal written by her physiotherapist and first author of this article. We suggest that new experiences in movement and sensation as well as changes in movement patterns can contribute to retuning in sensation and restructuring of narrative time. Feeding the fictional space and narrative fantasy with new experiences in movement and sensation can help counteracting delusional ideas and assist changes, supporting embodied narrative identity. Ingrid's experience is discussed in the light of Trygve Braatøy's understanding of muscular functions, Knud E Løgstrup's phenomenology of sensation and Paul Ricouer's narrative time. © 2012 The Authors. Scandinavian Journal of Caring Sciences © 2012 Nordic College of Caring Science.

  16. Experiences and preferences for end of life care for young adults with cancer and their informal carers: a narrative synthesis

    OpenAIRE

    Ngwenya, N; Kenten, C; Jones, L; Gibson, Faith; Pearce, S; Flatley, M; Hough, R; Stirling, LC; Taylor, R; Wong, G; Whelan, J

    2017-01-01

    Purpose To review the qualitative literature on experiences of and preferences for end of life care of people with cancer aged 16-40 years (young adults) and their informal carers. Methods A systematic review using narrative synthesis of qualitative studies using the 2006 UK Economic and Social Research Council research methods programme guidance. Seven electronic bibliographic databases, two clinical trials databases, and three relevant theses databases were searched from January 2004 to Oct...

  17. Participatory theatre and mental health recovery: a narrative inquiry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Torrissen, Wenche; Stickley, Theo

    2018-01-01

    To identify the potential relationship between participation in theatre and mental health recovery. To give voice to the stories told by participants of Teater Vildenvei, a theatre company that has been part of the rehabilitation programme for mental health service users in Oslo since 1995. Twelve narrative interviews were conducted among participants of Teater Vildenvei, and the data were subject to a narrative analysis process following the philosophy of Paul Ricoeur and the specific methods of thematic, event and relational analysis as identified by Riessman. The narratives are considered in the theoretical light of the mental health recovery framework as identified by Leamy et al. Each participant had experienced a transformation in identity; the sense of belonging within the group was perceived as highly important to their mental health; engagement with the theatre company gives people something meaningful to do, a sense of hope and individuals feel empowered. This narrative inquiry gave opportunity for participants to elaborate on their stories of their engagement with Teater Vildenvei. It is through the richness of the data that the depth of the significance of meaning that people ascribe to their stories demonstrates the potential power of participatory theatre for mental health recovery. Because of its effects, people make life-changing and life-saving claims.

  18. Making Sense of HIV in Southeastern Nigeria Fictional Narratives, Cultural Meanings, and Methodologies in Medical Anthropology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winskell, Kate; Brown, Peter J.; Patterson, Amy E.; Burkot, Camilla; Mbakwem, Benjamin C.

    2018-01-01

    Fictional narratives have rarely been used in medical anthropological research. This article illustrates the value of such narratives by examining how young people in southeastern Nigeria navigate the cultural resources available to them to make sense of HIV in their creative writing. Using thematic data analysis and narrative-based methodologies, it analyzes a sample (N = 120) from 1,849 narratives submitted by Nigerian youth to the 2005 Scenarios from Africa scriptwriting contest on the theme of HIV. The narratives are characterized by five salient themes: tragedy arising from the incompatibility of sex outside marriage and kinship obligations; female vulnerability and blame; peer pressure and moral ambivalence; conservative Christian sexual morality; and the social and family consequences of HIV. We consider the strengths and limitations of this narrative approach from a theoretical perspective and by juxtaposing our findings with those generated by Daniel Jordan Smith using standard ethnographic research methods with a similar Igbo youth population. [HIV, Igbo, youth, narrative, methodology] PMID:23804317

  19. Framing Effects in Narrative and Non-Narrative Risk Messages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steinhardt, Joseph; Shapiro, Michael A

    2015-08-01

    Narrative messages are increasingly popular in health and risk campaigns, yet gain/loss framing effects have never been tested with such messages. Three experiments examined framing in narrative messages. Experiment 1 found that only the character's decision, not framing, influenced judgments about characters in a narrative derived from a prospect theory context. Experiment 2 found that a framing effect that occurred when presented in a decision format did not occur when the same situation was presented as a narrative. Using a different story/decision context, Experiment 3 found no significant difference in preference for surgery over radiation therapy in a narrative presentation compared to a non-narrative presentation. The results suggest that health and risk campaigns cannot assume that framing effects will be the same in narrative messages and non-narrative messages. Potential reasons for these differences and suggestions for future research are discussed. © 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.

  20. Revenge versus forgiveness/forbearance in response to narrative-simulated victimization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Milgram, Noach; Stern, Miri; Levin, Shelly

    2006-03-01

    The authors engaged men and women (N = 120) who read one of two versions of a dramatic narrative in which the narrator became HIV-positive following heterosexual intercourse with an AIDS-infected partner. Assuming the role of the narrator, the participants completed two situation-instigated criterion measures as a response to becoming HIV-infected, indicated whom they blamed for their predicament, and completed two "trait" predictor measures-negative affect and response to perceived victimization in everyday life. Trait victimization response and blaming the sexual partner were strongly associated with high rather than low negative affect. Reasons for the reluctance to blame the sexual partner and seek revenge were discussed, and recommendations were made to develop less problematic simulated victimization narratives.

  1. Variation in narrative identity is associated with trajectories of mental health over several years.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adler, Jonathan M; Turner, Ariana F; Brookshier, Kathryn M; Monahan, Casey; Walder-Biesanz, Ilana; Harmeling, Luke H; Albaugh, Michelle; McAdams, Dan P; Oltmanns, Thomas F

    2015-03-01

    This article presents 2 longitudinal studies designed to assess the relationship between variability in narrative identity and trajectories of mental health over several years. In Study 1, core scenes from 89 late-mid-life adults' life stories were assessed for several narrative themes. Participants' mental health and physical health were assessed concurrently with the narratives and annually for the subsequent 4 years. Concurrent analyses indicated that the themes of agency, redemption, and contamination were significantly associated with mental health. Longitudinal analyses indicated that these same 3 themes were significantly associated with participants' trajectories of mental health over the course of 4 years. Exploratory analyses indicated that narratives of challenging experiences may be central to this pattern of results. In Study 2, similar longitudinal analyses were conducted on a sample of 27 late-mid-life adults who received a major physical illness diagnosis between the baseline assessment and 6 months later and a matched sample of 27 control participants who remained healthy throughout the study. Participants' mental health and physical health were assessed every 6 months for 2 years. In this study, the themes of agency, communion, redemption, and contamination in participants' life narratives collected at baseline (before any participant became sick) were significantly associated with mental health in the group of participants who went on to receive a medical diagnosis, but not in the control group. Taken together, the results of these 2 studies indicate that the way an individual constructs personal narratives may impact his or her trajectory of mental health over time. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

  2. Variation in Narrative Identity is Associated with Trajectories of Mental Health over Several Years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adler, Jonathan M.; Turner, Ariana F.; Brookshier, Kathryn M.; Monahan, Casey; Walder-Biesanz, Ilana; Harmeling, Luke H.; Albaugh, Michelle; McAdams, Dan P.; Oltmanns, Thomas F.

    2015-01-01

    This paper presents two longitudinal studies designed to assess the relationship between variability in narrative identity and trajectories of mental health over several years. In Study 1, core scenes from 89 late-mid-life adults’ life stories were assessed for several narrative themes. Participants’ mental health and physical health were assessed concurrently with the narratives and once a year for the subsequent four years. Concurrent analyses indicated that the themes of agency, redemption, and contamination were significantly associated with mental (but not physical) health. Longitudinal analyses indicated that these same three themes were significantly associated with participants’ trajectories of mental health over the course of four years. Exploratory analyses indicated that narratives of challenging experiences may be central to this pattern of results. In Study 2, similar longitudinal analyses were conducted on a sample of 27 late-mid-life adults who received a major physical illness diagnosis between the baseline assessment and six months later and a matched sample of 27 control participants who remained healthy throughout the study. Participants’ mental health and physical health were assessed every six months for two years. In this tightly controlled study, the themes of agency, communion, redemption, and contamination in participants’ life narratives collected at Baseline (before any participant got sick) were significantly positively associated with mental health in the group of participants who went on to receive a medical diagnosis, but not in the control group. Taken together, the results of these two studies indicate that the way an individual constructs personal narratives may impact his or her trajectory of mental health over time. PMID:25751718

  3. Spa Treatment (Balneotherapy) for Fibromyalgia—A Qualitative-Narrative Review and a Historical Perspective

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ablin, Jacob N.; Buskila, Dan

    2013-01-01

    Aim. To perform a narrative review of spa therapy for management of the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), evaluating this traditional time-honored form of therapy in a historical perspective. Methods. Medline was searched using the terms “Spa therapy,” “Balneotherapy,” and “Fibromyalgia” between 1990 (year of ACR fibromyalgia criteria publication) and April 2013. The Cochrane database was also searched. Publications relating to the implementation of spa therapy and related practices over the centuries were identified through references, searched, and reviewed. Results. Reports of balneotherapy were described from diverse locations throughout Europe and Asia, and various forms of water-related therapy have been incorporated for many musculoskeletal indications. In the management of FMS, spa therapy has generally been shown to be well accepted and moderately effective for symptom reduction. Conclusion. While achieving high-quality evidence-based conclusions is difficult for complex natural therapies such as spa therapy, the existing evidence indicates a positive effect in management of FMS. In view of the long history of this modality in the management of rheumatic pain as well as the inherent difficulties related to pharmacological treatment, the role of spa therapy should currently be recognized as part of a therapeutic program for FMS. PMID:23983795

  4. Spa Treatment (Balneotherapy for Fibromyalgia—A Qualitative-Narrative Review and a Historical Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob N. Ablin

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To perform a narrative review of spa therapy for management of the fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS, evaluating this traditional time-honored form of therapy in a historical perspective. Methods. Medline was searched using the terms “Spa therapy,” “Balneotherapy,” and “Fibromyalgia” between 1990 (year of ACR fibromyalgia criteria publication and April 2013. The Cochrane database was also searched. Publications relating to the implementation of spa therapy and related practices over the centuries were identified through references, searched, and reviewed. Results. Reports of balneotherapy were described from diverse locations throughout Europe and Asia, and various forms of water-related therapy have been incorporated for many musculoskeletal indications. In the management of FMS, spa therapy has generally been shown to be well accepted and moderately effective for symptom reduction. Conclusion. While achieving high-quality evidence-based conclusions is difficult for complex natural therapies such as spa therapy, the existing evidence indicates a positive effect in management of FMS. In view of the long history of this modality in the management of rheumatic pain as well as the inherent difficulties related to pharmacological treatment, the role of spa therapy should currently be recognized as part of a therapeutic program for FMS.

  5. [Anthropology, ethnography, and narrative: intersecting paths in understanding the processes of health and sickness].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, Gabriela M C; Gualda, Dulce M R

    2010-12-01

    The article discusses anthropology, ethnographic method, and narrative as possible ways of coming to know subjects' experiences and the feelings they attribute to them. From an anthropological perspective, the sociocultural universe is taken as a point of reference in understanding the meaning of the processes of health and sickness, using a dense ethnographic description from an interpretivist analytical approach. In this context, narratives afford possible paths to understanding how subjective human experiences are shared and how behavior is organized, with a special focus on meaning, the process by which stories are produced, relations between narrator and other subjects, processes of knowledge, and the manifold ways in which experience can be captured.

  6. A narrative exploration of older people's transitions into residential care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Victoria S P; Simpson, Jane; Froggatt, Katherine

    2013-01-01

    Moving into residential care has been argued to be a significant life transition for older people, often resulting in stress and anxiety. This research aimed to explore qualitatively older people's experiences of this transition, including how relocation is reflected upon and incorporated into their personal narratives. Eight older adults (65-97 years) living in a residential facility for between three and 12 months participated in interviews focussed on their experiences of relocating to a residential care home. Narrative analysis revealed that rather than depicting time bound stages of transition, participants' experiences reflected key plots of 'control', 'power', 'identity' and 'uncertainty' interwoven throughout their narratives. Participants experienced some difficulties in incorporating this transition into their life stories. Furthermore, participants discussed not feeling confident in their decision to move, living in constant fear of losing their memory, and limited expectations for their future. Professionals should move away from considering transition as a stage-based process ending in acceptance, instead focussing on how residents perceive relocation in relation to previous life experiences, unspoken fears evoked by moving and how the environment and relationships with staff may be altered to assist residents in maintaining their identity and sense of control.

  7. A narrative analysis positioning HIV relative to personal (sexual) relationship challenges in an agony aunt column in the Western Cape, South Africa - Aunty Mona's "love advice".

    Science.gov (United States)

    Viljoen, Lario; Thorne, Marguerite; Thomas, Angelique; Bond, Virginia; Hoddinott, Graeme

    2016-01-01

    HIV prevalence and incidence in South Africa remain high, making HIV a part of everyday life. Community narratives on HIV treatment and prevention are important and influence official and unofficial health messaging and community perceptions and understandings of HIV. We explore how contributors and the columnist of an agony aunt column position HIV relative to choices made about love, partnership, and sex over three years. We analysed all columns of an agony aunt series (Antie Mona) published between December 2012 and November 2015. The column is published in a South African, Afrikaans-language newspaper "Son", prioritising sensationalist news items. Trends were identified through narrative analysis. Data were managed in ATLAS.ti and inductive, iterative coding conducted. It was found that letters to the agony aunt rarely refer to HIV directly (less than 7%). Euphemisms such as diseases of the flesh and the great flu were more commonly used instead of HIV or AIDS. Letters addressed HIV in three ways: direct references to experiences living with HIV; direct questions about HIV prevention; and scenarios where HIV could (from a public health perspective) have been the main concern, but everyday issues took precedence. The majority of letters fell into this latter category where the writers focused on the immediate concerns of good sexual relations, problems related to love and romantic relationships, good moral behaviour of others, and issues of oppressive life conditions rather than on HIV directly. The findings illustrate that informal, public contributions to health information, such as agony aunts, are important narratives that inform popular perspectives on HIV and health. A better appreciation of this context would allow health implementers to ensure that these role players receive updated health messaging to avoid the risk of HIV-related stigma where HIV is used as a moral rod to punish perceived moral transgressions.

  8. "It's Better Life Here than There": Elasticity and Ambivalence in Narratives of Personal Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Warriner, Doris S.

    2013-01-01

    This article investigates when and how narratives of personal experience and displacement reference and characterize dimensions of time and space, with a focus on how temporal elasticity might serve as an interactional resource. Examining the dynamic, situated, and intertwined nature of such narratives, the analysis looks at how…

  9. Transforming the findings of narrative research into poetry.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Edwards, Sharon Lorraine

    2015-05-01

    To offer dramatic poetry as representing findings from narrative research that is more accessible. This article is drawn from the author's doctorate work on how students' stories about their 'clinical' experiences can aid learning. Nursing students' stories of clinical practice experiences when engaged in the care of patients represented as dramatic poetry. Qualitative analytical approaches in narrative data analysis to provide a review of student stories from a variety of perspectives. This article illustrates a method for converting story data to poetry. It suggests that a range of audiences can learn from nursing students' stories of clinical practice when translated into dramatic poetry. Audiences can come close to understanding what students are experiencing in practice when engaged in the care of patients and learning from their practice experiences, when these experiences are expressed as dramatic poetry. Representing findings from narrative research as dramatic poetry can help audiences engage with nursing students' experiences at an emotional level. Enabling researchers and readers to become immersed in the poem transforming their understanding of what the students have learned.

  10. Life histories in occupational therapy clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Frank, G

    1996-04-01

    This article defines and compares several narrative methods used to describe and interpret patients' lives. The biographical methods presented are case histories, life-charts, life histories, life stories, assisted autobiography, hermeneutic case reconstruction, therapeutic employment, volitional narratives, and occupational storytelling and story making. Emphasis is placed the clinician as a collaborator and interpreter of the patient's life through ongoing interactions and dialogue.

  11. Interpretations of the Tower of Babel Narrative in the African Context ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Biblical scholarship from the African context provides possible new and creative perspectives for the interpretation of the Tower of Babel narrative because of uniquely African questions that structure the interpretative process. These unique questions relate to the cultures of African people, the injustice of colonialism, ...

  12. Narrativity and enaction: the social nature of literary narrative understanding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Popova, Yanna B

    2014-01-01

    This paper proposes an understanding of literary narrative as a form of social cognition and situates the study of such narratives in relation to the new comprehensive approach to human cognition, enaction. The particular form of enactive cognition that narrative understanding is proposed to depend on is that of participatory sense-making, as developed in the work of Di Paolo and De Jaegher. Currently there is no consensus as to what makes a good literary narrative, how it is understood, and why it plays such an irreplaceable role in human experience. The proposal thus identifies a gap in the existing research on narrative by describing narrative as a form of intersubjective process of sense-making between two agents, a teller and a reader. It argues that making sense of narrative literature is an interactional process of co-constructing a story-world with a narrator. Such an understanding of narrative makes a decisive break with both text-centered approaches that have dominated both structuralist and early cognitivist study of narrative, as well as pragmatic communicative ones that view narrative as a form of linguistic implicature. The interactive experience that narrative affords and necessitates at the same time, I argue, serves to highlight the active yet cooperative and communal nature of human sociality, expressed in the many forms than human beings interact in, including literary ones.

  13. Narrativity and Enaction: The Social Nature of Literary Narrative Understanding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanna B. Popova

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available This paper proposes an understanding of literary narrative as a form of social cognition and situates the study of such narratives in relation to the new comprehensive approach to human cognition, enaction. The particular form of enactive cognition that narrative understanding is proposed to depend on is that of participatory sense-making, as developed in the work of Di Paolo and De Jaegher. Currently there is no consensus as to what makes a good literary narrative, how it is understood, and why it plays such an irreplaceable role in human experience. The proposal thus identifies a gap in the existing research on narrative by describing narrative as a form of intersubjective process of sense-making between two agents, a teller and a reader. It argues that making sense of narrative literature is an interactional process of co-constructing a story-world with a narrator. Such an understanding of narrative makes a decisive break with both text-centered approaches that have dominated both structuralist and early cognitivist study of narrative, as well as pragmatic communicative ones that view narrative as a form of linguistic implicature. The interactive experience that narrative affords and necessitates at the same time, I argue, serves to highlight the active yet cooperative and communal nature of human sociality, expressed in the many forms than human beings interact in, including literary ones.

  14. A life course perspective on polycystic ovary syndrome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sanchez N

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Ninive SanchezSchool of Social Work, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USAAbstract: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS is a major public health problem in the US. Worldwide, the public is largely unaware of the condition and health care providers do not seem to fully understand it. Research on PCOS has primarily focused on its etiology and clinical characteristics and less on the psychosocial aspects of human development associated with PCOS. This paper posits that a life course perspective provides a framework for further understanding the psychosocial experiences of women with PCOS and the contexts in which they live. The paper discusses how life course principles of human development, constraints on agency, interdependence of lives, time and place, and timing of events and experiences are relevant to the management of PCOS and prevention of its complications.Keywords: polycystic ovary syndrome, psychosocial, mental health, multidisciplinary, life course, adolescence

  15. Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose: senior NHS managers' narratives of restructuring.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macfarlane, Fraser; Exworthy, Mark; Wilmott, Micky; Greenhalgh, Trish

    2011-09-01

    The UK National Health Service (NHS) is regularly restructured. Its smooth operation and organisational memory depends on the insights and capability of managers, especially those with experience of previous transitions. Narrative methods can illuminate complex change from the perspective of key actors. We used an adaptation of Wengraf's biographical narrative life interview method to explore how 20 senior NHS managers (chief executives, directors and assistant directors) had perceived and responded to major transitions since 1974. Data were analysed thematically using insights from phenomenology, neo-institutional theory and critical management studies. Findings were contextualised within a literature review of NHS policy and management 1974-2009. Managers described how experience in different NHS organisations helped build resilience and tacit knowledge, and how a strong commitment to the 'NHS brand' allowed them to weather a succession of policy changes and implement and embed such changes locally. By synthesising these personal and situated micro-narratives, we built a wider picture of macro-level institutional change in the NHS, in which the various visible restructurings in recent years appear to have masked a deeper continuity in terms of enduring values, norms and ways of working. We consider the implications of these findings for the future NHS. © 2011 The Authors. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2011 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  16. Linguistic and pragmatic aspects of narration in Finnish typically developing children and children with specific language impairment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mäkinen, Leena; Loukusa, Soile; Laukkanen, Päivi; Leinonen, Eeva; Kunnari, Sari

    2014-06-01

    This study investigates narratives of Finnish children with specific language impairment (SLI) from linguistic and pragmatic perspectives, in order to get a comprehensive overview of these children's narrative abilities. Nineteen children with SLI (mean age 6;1 years) and 19 typically developing age-matched children participated in the study. Their picture-elicited narrations were analysed for linguistic productivity and complexity, grammatical and referential accuracy, event content, the use of mental state expressions and narrative comprehension. Children with SLI showed difficulties in every aspect of narration in comparison to their peers. Only one measure of productivity, the number of communication units, did not reach statistical significance. Not only was linguistic structure fragile but also pragmatic aspects of storytelling (referencing, event content, mental state expressions and inferencing) were demanding for children with SLI. Results suggest that pragmatic aspects of narration should be taken into account more often when assessing narrative abilities of children with SLI.

  17. Gender equity and equality on Korean student scientists: A life history narrative study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hur, Changsoo

    Much research, including that by Koreans (e.g., Mo, 1999), agrees on two major points relating to the inequitable and unequal condition of women in the scientific community: (1) the fact that the under-representation of women in the scientific community has been taken for granted for years (e.g., Rathgeber, 1998), and (2) documenting women's lives has been largely excluded in women's studies (e.g., Sutton, 1998). The basis for the design of this study relates to the aforementioned observations. This study addresses two major research questions: how do social stereotypes exist in terms of gender equity and equality in the South Korean scientific and educational fields, and how do these stereotypes influence women and men's socializations, in terms of gender equity and equality, in the South Korean scientific and educational fields? To investigate the research questions, this qualitative study utilizes a life history narrative approach in examining various theoretical perspectives, such as critical theory, post-structuralism, and postmodernism. Through the participants' perceptions and experiences in the scientific community and in South Korean society, this study fords gendered stereotypes, practices, and socializations in school, family, and the scientific community. These findings demonstrate asymmetric gendered structures in South Korea. Moreover, with the comparison among male and female participants, this study shows how they perceive and experience differently in school, family, and the scientific community. This study attempts to understand the South Korean scientific community as represented by four student scientists through social structures. Education appears to function significantly as an hegemonic power in conveying legitimating ideologies. This process reproduces man-centered social structures, especially in the scientific community. This suggests that to emancipate women's under-representations in the scientific community, educational administrators

  18. Radio listening in a life-historical perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Blaakilde, Anne Leonora

    are interpreted as material-semiotic interactions, as well as the embodied and subjective experiences and memories in time and space are interpreted in a postphenomenological perspective. Encompassing these rather different theories is the notion of soundscape (Schafer) which, in a newer reading inspired by John...... things matter. UCL Press, London. Pink, Sarah and Mackley, Kerstin Leder 2013. Saturated and situated: expanding the meaning of media in the routines of everyday life. Media Culture Society, vol. 35, no. 6: 677-691. Schafer, R. Murray 1994. The Soundscape: Our Sonic Environment and the Tuning...

  19. A Female Therapist's Perspective on Growing Older.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fodor, Iris

    2015-11-01

    As an older woman therapist, I find that my life experience grounds me in my work with people of all ages and backgrounds as they deal with life crises, aging issues, and loss. People with whom I work in therapy appreciate the fact that I am older and have had varied life experiences. Gender issues are still central to my work with clients whether I am working with a man or a woman. I am an integrative therapist, with a background in cognitive-behavioral therapy and gestalt therapy. Therapists need to help clients to identify less with their aging bodies and our culture's view of attractiveness, shifting instead to a paradigm that values life experience and the cultivation of wisdom. We need to find ways of embracing what we have learned about life instead of extolling youthful values. As I get older, I more fully appreciate a constructivism framework and life-cycle perspective, focusing on making sense of clients' life narratives. Storytelling and memoirs have both provided a framework for working with clients on coping with the many changes and challenges of life that bring them to therapy and added another layer to my integrative therapeutic work. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  20. The Cinematic Narrator: The Logic and Pragmatics of Impersonal Narration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burgoyne, Robert

    1990-01-01

    Describes "impersonal narration," an approach that defends the concept of the cinematic narrator as a logical and pragmatic necessity. Compares this approach with existing theories of the cinematic narrator, addressing disagreements in the field of film narrative theory. (MM)

  1. Historical ESWT Paradigms Are Overcome: A Narrative Review

    OpenAIRE

    Lohrer, Heinz; Nauck, Tanja; Korakakis, Vasileios; Malliaropoulos, Nikos

    2016-01-01

    Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy (ESWT) is a conservative treatment modality with still growing interest in musculoskeletal disorders. This narrative review aims to present an overview covering 20-year development in the field of musculoskeletal ESWT. Eight historical paradigms have been identified and put under question from a current perspective: energy intensity, focus size, anesthesia, imaging, growth plates, acuteness, calcifications, and number of sessions. All paradigms as set in a hi...

  2. The role of dimensions of narrative engagement in narrative persuasion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Graaf, A.M.; Hoeken, J.A.L.; Sanders, J.M.; Beentjes, J.W.J.

    2009-01-01

    Several models of narrative persuasion posit that a reader's phenomenological experience of a narrative plays a mediating role in the persuasive effects of the narrative. Because the narrative reading experience is multi-dimensional, this experiment investigates which dimensions of this experience -

  3. Social workers' involvement in advance care planning: a systematic narrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Chong-Wen; Chan, Cecilia L W; Chow, Amy Y M

    2017-07-10

    Advance care planning is a process of discussion that enables competent adults to express their wishes about end-of-life care through periods of decisional incapacity. Although a number of studies have documented social workers' attitudes toward, knowledge about, and involvement in advance care planning, the information is fragmented. The purpose of this review was to provide a narrative synthesis of evidence on social workers' perspectives and experiences regarding implementation of advance care planning. Six databases were searched for peer-reviewed research papers from their respective inception through December 2016. All of the resulting studies relevant to both advance care planning and social worker were examined. The findings of relevant studies were synthesized thematically. Thirty-one articles met the eligibility criteria. Six research themes were identified: social workers' attitudes toward advance care planning; social workers' knowledge, education and training regarding advance care planning; social workers' involvement in advance care planning; social workers' perceptions of their roles; ethical issues relevant to advance care planning; and the effect of social work intervention on advance care planning engagement. The findings suggest that there is a consensus among social workers that advance care planning is their duty and responsibility and that social workers play an important role in promoting and implementing advance care planning through an array of activities. This study provides useful knowledge for implementing advance care planning through illustrating social workers' perspectives and experiences. Further studies are warranted to understand the complexity inherent in social workers' involvement in advance care planning for different life-limiting illnesses or within different socio-cultural contexts.

  4. Quality-of-life assessment of family planning adopters through user perspectives in the district of Karimnagar

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kameswararao Avasarala

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Small families adopting family planning are usually considered happy families. They are expected to lead a better qualitative life. Quality-of-life (QOL is routinely assessed for knowing patients′ health status. Recently, the QOL concept has become increasingly popular for evaluating the impact of public health interventions. Hitherto, QOL is usually assessed by means of program achievements or indicators, which may sometimes be misleading. Hence, the new culture of QOL assessment by means of user perspectives is now becoming popular. Research Questions: 1 Is the quality-of-life of family planning (FP adopters better than that of non-FP adopters? 2 Are the user perspectives helpful in QOL assessment? Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among 50 FP adopting families and 50 non-FP adopting families from the village of Vutoor and the city of Karimnagar in Andhra Pradesh. Sampling Methods: Random sampling, Proportions and Chi square test. Results: Program perspectives revealed a better standard of living for FP adopters because they have amenities like housing, television, and vehicles and less mortality and morbidity ( P < 0.001. However, they lack positive feelings towards life, general adaptation, personal relationships, and leisure opportunities. Finally, self-assessment by FP adopters themselves revealed no significant increase in their qualitative life after family planning ( P = 0.05. Conclusions: While assessing the impact of a health program on quality-of-life, multiple methods of assessments including user perspectives are better than program indicators alone.

  5. Time perception and psychopathology: Influence of time perspective on quality of life of severe mental illness.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oyanadel, Cristián; Buela-Casal, Gualberto

    2014-01-01

    The study of time perception and mental illness has given priority to time estimation over time perspective. Considering Zimbardo’s theory on five dimensions of time perspective, and balanced time perspective profile, this study has aimed to compare people with severe mental illness (SMI) and healthy people, with measurements of time perspective and time estimation and to assess whether the time perspective profile influences the quality of life in people with SMI. Using a quasi-experimental design, a clinical group (n=167) corresponding to four samples of severe mental disorders (major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and personality disorders) and healthy people (n=167) were compared in their performance regarding time perspective and time estimation. After, the clinical sample was grouped according to their deviation from the balanced time perspective profile (DBTP) and negative profile (DNTP). These groups were evaluated with health measures and time estimation tasks. Through the ANOVA, it can be seen that the time perspective profile affects health measurements. There are significant differences between the clinical sample and controls regarding time perspective and time estimation. Within the group of patients, it was observed that those who were closer to the BTP profile had better physical health, and less hopelessness (ptime perspective in the assessment, treatment and quality of life of people with SMI.

  6. The role of dimensions of narrative engagement in narrative persuasion

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Graaf, A. de; Hoeken, J.A.L.; Sanders, J.M.; Beentjes, J.W.J.

    2009-01-01

    Several models of narrative persuasion posit that a reader's phenomenological experience of a narrative plays a mediating role in the persuasive effects of the narrative. Because the narrative reading experience is multi-dimensional, this experiment investigates which dimensions of this experience –

  7. Contributions of the life course perspective to research on food decision making.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wethington, Elaine; Johnson-Askew, Wendy L

    2009-12-01

    The life course perspective (LCP) has emerged as a powerful organizing framework for the study of health, illness, and mortality. LCP represents a "whole life" analysis perspective which originated in the field of sociology. Its concepts are increasingly applied to understanding the development of chronic disease over long periods of time in the human life span. A missing link, however, in the adaptation of the LCP to health research, is the insight the LCP may offer into understanding the societal, social network, and family contexts that frame stability and change in dietary behavior. This paper reviews key concepts that comprise the LCP but primarily focuses on applications that have relevance to food decision making in social context. A case study of chronic work-family stress and perceived time scarcity as barriers to dietary improvement is included. Illustrative findings are presented on dietary behavior in a diverse sample of lower-income working parents. This paper also offers ideas on increasing the contributions of the LCP to nutritional research.

  8. Using narrative pedagogy: learning and practising interpretive thinking.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ironside, Pamela M

    2006-08-01

    This paper reports a hermeneutic study undertaken to explicate students' experiences in educational courses in which teachers enact Narrative Pedagogy. International interest in developing and implementing discipline-specific pedagogies is becoming commonplace as teachers respond to the challenges of preparing students for contemporary practice. Lifeworld Pedagogy, developed in Scandinavia, and Narrative Pedagogy, developed in the United States of America, Canada and New Zealand, are two approaches developed from nursing research for nursing education that provide teachers with research-based alternatives to conventional pedagogy. Further research is needed, however, that addresses how new pedagogies are experienced in schools of nursing. Teachers and students from 22 schools of nursing in the United States of America were interviewed over a 4-year period between 2002 and 2005. Using interpretive phenomenology as the philosophical background and Heideggerian hermeneutics as the method, accounts from 52 participants were analysed by a research team. The theme Learning and Practising Interpretive Thinking reveals how reform is occurring in schools of nursing that use Narrative Pedagogy. It documents how Narrative Pedagogy helps students challenge their assumptions and think through and interpret situations they encounter from multiple perspectives. Findings suggest that by focusing teachers' and students' attention on thinking and interpreting as communal experiences, interpretive pedagogies such as Narrative Pedagogy engage teachers and students in pooling their wisdom, challenging their preconceptions, envisioning new possibilities for providing care and engaging with others to ensure patient-centred care and safety. By documenting students' experiences in courses in which Narrative Pedagogy is used, this study provides teachers with research-based evidence to guide their pedagogical decisions. It extends international efforts to develop discipline

  9. Development of the Life Story in Early Adolescence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Steiner, Kristina L.; Pillemer, David B.

    2018-01-01

    Life span developmental psychology proposes that the ability to create a coherent life narrative does not develop until early adolescence. Using a novel methodology, 10-, 12-, and 14-year-old participants were asked to tell their life stories aloud to a researcher. Later, participants separated their transcribed narratives into self-identified…

  10. Work stress and cardiovascular disease: a life course perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Jian; Loerbroks, Adrian; Bosma, Hans; Angerer, Peter

    2016-05-25

    Individuals in employment experience stress at work, and numerous epidemiological studies have documented its negative health effects, particularly on cardiovascular disease (CVD). Although evidence on the various interrelationships between work stress and CVD has been accumulated, those observations have not yet been conceptualized in terms of a life course perspective. Using the chain of risk model, we would like to propose a theoretical model incorporating six steps: (1) work stress increases the risk of incident CVD in healthy workers. (2) Among those whose work ability is not fully and permanently damaged, work stress acts as a determinant of the process of return to work after CVD onset. (3) CVD patients experience higher work stress after return to work. (4) Work stress increases the risk of recurrent CVD in workers with prior CVD. (5) CVD patients who fully lose their work ability transit to disability retirement. (6) Disability retirees due to CVD have an elevated risk of CVD mortality. The life course perspective might facilitate an in-depth understanding of the diverse interrelationships between work stress and CVD, thereby leading to work stress management interventions at each period of the lifespan and three-level prevention of CVD.

  11. Narrative interviewing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anderson, Claire; Kirkpatrick, Susan

    2016-06-01

    Introduction Narrative interviews place the people being interviewed at the heart of a research study. They are a means of collecting people's own stories about their experiences of health and illness. Narrative interviews can help researchers to better understand people's experiences and behaviours. Narratives may come closer to representing the context and integrity of people's lives than more quantitative means of research. Methodology Researchers using narrative interview techniques do not set out with a fixed agenda, rather they tend to let the interviewee control the direction, content and pace of the interview. The paper describes the interview process and the suggested approach to analysis of narrative interviews, We draw on the example from a study that used series of narrative interviews about people's experiences of taking antidepressants. Limitations Some people may find it particularly challenging to tell their story to a researcher in this way rather than be asked a series of questions like in a television or radio interview. Narrative research like all qualitative research does not set out to be generalisable and may only involve a small set of interviews.

  12. Getting a life: the emergence of the life story in adolescence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habermas, T; Bluck, S

    2000-09-01

    In the life story, autobiographical remembering and self-understanding are combined to create a coherent account of one's past. A gap is demonstrated between developmental research on the story-organization of autobiographical remembering of events in childhood and of life narratives in adulthood. This gap is bridged by substantiating D.P. McAdams's (1985) claim that the life story develops in adolescence. Two manifestations of the life story, life narratives and autobiographical reasoning, are delineated in terms of 4 types of global coherence (temporal, biographical, causal, and thematic). A review of research shows that the cognitive tools necessary for constructing global coherence in a life story and the social-motivational demands to construct a life story develop during adolescence. The authors delineate the implications of the life story framework for other research areas such as coping, attachment, psychotherapeutic process, and the organization of autobiographical memory.

  13. Teacher Narratives and Student Engagement: Testing Narrative Engagement Theory in Drug Prevention Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller-Day, Michelle; Hecht, Michael L.; Krieger, Janice L.; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Shin, YoungJu; Graham, John

    2015-01-01

    Testing narrative engagement theory, this study examines student engagement and teachers’ spontaneous narratives told in a narrative-based drug prevention curriculum. The study describes the extent to which teachers share their own narratives in a narrative-based curriculum, identifies dominant narrative elements, forms and functions, and assesses the relationships among teacher narratives, overall lesson narrative quality, and student engagement. One hundred videotaped lessons of the keepin’ it REAL drug prevention curriculum were coded and the results supported the claim that increased narrative quality of a prevention lesson would be associated with increased student engagement. The quality of narrativity, however, varied widely. Implications of these results for narrative-based prevention interventions and narrative pedagogy are discussed. PMID:26690668

  14. Personal Narratives: A Pedagogical Proposal to Stimulate Language Students’ Writing

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fredy Orlando Salamanca González

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available In a public university in Tunja (Colombia, undergraduate language students mentioned that writing was important and yet, they kept at a distance from it due to its requirements. The aim of this pedagogical intervention was to find a strategy to encourage students to write and, more importantly, to feel an identity with their texts. For this pedagogical intervention, students were required to write narratives that allowed them to portray their experiences using the target language and to look for the most accurate words and descriptions. From a pedagogical perspective, writing the narratives provided the teacher with the possibility of knowing his students better and to feel an affiliation towards them.

  15. Narrating your life after 65 (or: to tell or not to tell, that is the question).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lieblich, Amia

    2014-01-01

    This chapter examines differential circumstances whereby aging individuals construct their selves as a narrative or, alternatively, seem to prefer other routes to manifest their identity. The preliminary exploration of questions about the characteristics of those aged who prefer to tell and those who do not, as well as the salutary role of telling, is based on two studies of 65-80-year-old well-functioning Israeli-Jewish seniors. While approximately half of them were willing to conduct a life review, the other half constructed their robust identity through activities and a here-and-now focus. Historical circumstances that involve seeing one's life story as heroic or having an important historical message, as opposed to a series of haphazard events, are considered a major factor in the preference to tell or not to tell. The chapter concludes that there are different strategies for identity management, with an emphasis on either past events or present activities. Neither of these preferences can simply indicate success or failure in aging well. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  16. James Clerk Maxwell perspectives on his life and work

    CERN Document Server

    McCartney, Mark; Whitaker, Andrew

    2014-01-01

    James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) had a relatively brief, but remarkable life, lived in his beloved rural home of Glenlair, and variously in Edinburgh, Aberdeen, London and Cambridge. His scholarship also ranged wide - covering all the major aspects of Victorian natural philosophy. He was one of the most important mathematical physicists of all time, coming only after Newton and Einstein. In scientific terms his immortality is enshrined in electromagnetism and Maxwell's equations, but as this book shows, there was much more to Maxwell than electromagnetism, both in terms of his science and his wider life. Maxwell's life and contributions to science are so rich that they demand the expertise of a range of academics - physicists, mathematicians, and historians of science and literature - to do him justice. The various chapters will enable Maxwell to be seen from a range of perspectives. Chapters 1 to 4 deal with wider aspects of his life in time and place, at Aberdeen, King's College London and the Cavendish Labo...

  17. A collaborative narrative inquiry: Two teacher educators learning about narrative inquiry

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barkhuizen, Gary

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available With its capacity to unharness the power of narrative to promote meaning-making of lived experience, narrative inquiry is developing as a credible approach to research in several areas in the field of language teaching (Johnson, 2006. This article tells the story of two narrative researchers working in language teacher education who engaged in a collaborative narrative inquiry as both participants and inquirers, in order to learn more about narrative inquiry. The ‘bounded’ nature of their inquiry design provided a feasible way for them to explore their focus of research (i.e. their learning about narrative inquiry, and led them, through an iterative and reflexive process of analysing their narrative data, to formulate what they believe are essential ingredients of principled narrative inquiry work. Four narrative inquiry variables became the scaffolding which enabled them to answer their research questions, and are offered here as a heuristic for teaching practitioners, whether they be teachers, teacher educators or researchers, to guide them in narrative inquiries into their own work.

  18. Conservation narratives in Peru: envisioning biodiversity in sustainable development

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yves M. Zinngrebe

    2016-06-01

    In a second step, a comparative analysis of the dominant and diverging political perspectives is made. I argue that by deconstructing underlying premises and ideologies, common ground and possible opportunities for collaboration can be identified. Moreover, although the presented results can serve as a discussion scaffold to organize conservation debates in Peru, this example demonstrates how the terms biodiversity and sustainability are operationalized in conservation narratives.

  19. Narrative approaches

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stelter, Reinhard

    2012-01-01

    Narrative coaching is representative of the new wave – or third generation – of coaching practice . The theory and practice of narrative coaching takes into account the social and cultural conditions of late modern society, and must be seen as intertwined with them. Some initial conceptualizations...... of narrative coaching were developed by David Drake (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009) in the USA and Australia, by Ho Law in the UK (Law, 2007a + b; Law & Stelter, 2009) and by Reinhard Stelter (2007, 2009, 2012, in preparation; Stelter & Law, 2010) in Denmark. In the following chapter the aim is to present coaching...... as a narrative-collaborative practice, an approach that is based on phenomenology, social constructionism and narrative theory. Seeing narrative coaching as a collaborative practice also leads to reflecting on the relationship between coach and coachee(s) in a new way, where both parts contribute to the dialogue...

  20. Nye narrative gleder?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bondebjerg, Ib

    2008-01-01

    Anmeldelse af Anne Mangen: New Narrative Pleasures? A Cognitive-Phenomenological Study of the Experience of Reading Digital Narrative Fictions.......Anmeldelse af Anne Mangen: New Narrative Pleasures? A Cognitive-Phenomenological Study of the Experience of Reading Digital Narrative Fictions....

  1. Use of Social Media Among Individuals Who Suffer From Post-Traumatic Stress: A Qualitative Analysis of Narratives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Salzmann-Erikson, Martin; Hiçdurmaz, Duygu

    2017-01-01

    Suffering from post-traumatic stress impacts and restricts the life situation of the individual on several levels, not least regarding social difficulties. Social media on the Internet facilitate new possibilities for interaction and communication. Earlier research has demonstrated that people use social media to seek support and to discuss health-related issues. The current study aimed to describe how individuals suffering from post-traumatic stress use social media to convey authentic narratives of their daily lives, including illness, and further, to analyze the content of this media use. The data comprised YouTube videos, blogs, and forum discussions. Five categories cover the findings: (a) structure of the narrative, (b) narrating the trauma, (c) restrictions in life, (d) strategies in everyday living, and (e) online interaction. We stress that sharing narratives online facilitates a "verbalizing" of the life conditions of the sufferers and can be used as a self-care activity. © The Author(s) 2016.

  2. Narrative and embodiment

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Køster, Allan

    2016-01-01

    Recent work on the relation between narrative and selfhood has emphasized embodiment as an indispensable foundation for selfhood. This has occasioned an interesting debate on the relation between embodiment and narrative. In this paper, I attempt to mediate the range of conflicting intuitions......) strictly is or is not; rather, we need to see narrative as an attribute admitting of degrees. I suggest that the relation between narrative and embodiment should be seen along these lines, proposing three levels of the narrativity of embodied experiencing: 1) the unnarratable, 2) the narratable and 3...

  3. Asset Management The State of the Art in Europe from a Life Cycle Perspective

    CERN Document Server

    Herder, Paulien; Wijnia, Ype

    2012-01-01

    In the past decades asset intensive companies have witnessed a number of regulatory changes and especially industry is facing ever increasing competitiveness. To overcome these challenges different asset management methods have been developed aimed to improve the asset life cycle. Especially the design phase and operation and maintenance phase have seen a rise in tools and methods. Smarter design can lead to improved operation. Likewise, improved operation and maintenance leads to lower replacement costs and may provide the basis for better design.   This book brings together and coherently presents the current state of the art in asset management research and practice in Europe from a life cycle perspective. Each chapter  focuses on specific parts of this life cycle and explains how the methods and techniques described are connected and how they improve the asset life cycle, thus treating this important subject from a unique perspective.

  4. 'I am not a tragedy. I am full of hope': communication impairment narratives in newspapers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O Malley-Keighran, Mary-Pat; Coleman, Mary

    2014-01-01

    Individual attitudes and more general attitudes in society can negatively influence the functioning of people with communication disorders according to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) (2002). Personal narratives have been recommended as the best means to convey and understand a person's life experience and have been investigated extensively. Investigations of personal narratives of communication impairment in mass media continue to be relatively rare in the literature. Published narratives can enrich understandings of clients' experiences by elucidating available representations of lived experiences of communication impairment. To answer the following research questions: What types of personal narratives of communication impairments are currently being disseminated in Irish newspapers? How are experiences of communication impairments represented in these narratives? The study was qualitative, deploying inductive analysis and drawing on Frank's (1995) typology of illness narratives to analyse narratives that were published in two Irish national newspapers over a 12-month period. The results illustrate the under-representation of communication impairments in Irish newspapers as ten out of 51 narratives in the corpus pertained to conditions that may have associated communication impairments. None of the narratives related the lived experience of a person with communication impairment in depth. A combination of quest and chaos narrative types was identified in six out of the ten narratives. Three out of the ten narratives featured a combination of chaos and restitution narrative types. One narrative was identified as being entirely a quest narrative. Three narratives contained elements of restitution. Inductive analysis revealed six main themes in the data (two for each narrative type) with one sub-theme identified for each main theme. The six main themes are: positive stances, re

  5. Language, meaning, sense and reference: Matthew's passion narrative and Psalm 22

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. van Tilborg

    1988-01-01

    Full Text Available The passion narrative of Jesus as told by Matthew is a verbal enunciation which finds its place next to other passion narratives in which the narrator lets the protagonist use the words of the '1' person of Psalm 22 and in which the narrator describes internal and external conflicts with the words of the Psalm. Against the background of the Greek Septuagint and the Aramaic text in the Targum, parallel to what the hymnist of Qumran tries to do and the narrator of the story about Aseneth, based on the narrative as we find it in Mark, Matthew took Psalm 22 as anchor for his story. What is described in the Psalm, happens in the life and death of Jesus. To approach Jesus' passion more closely, Matthew used poetic language: words on words on words. The passion and death of Jesus has thus become literature, an ambiguous attempt to express the impossible. The question, 'how can one maintain today compassion against the forces of violence?', is the concern of the article.

  6. Animation with concurrent narration versus narration in physical education lesson

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ioannou Panagiotis

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of the present study was to compare the effects of two different teaching methods on students' comprehension during Physical Education lesson: narration versus animation with concurrent narration, during teaching shot put event. Thirty primary school children (boys and girls volunteered to participate in this study. In experiment students listened (narration and viewed (animation with narration the presentation of two shot putting styles. A problem-solving and a retention test were used to evaluate students' comprehension. Results showed that students' comprehension was better when shot putting styles were presented through a mixed model (animation and narration group than a single (narration. The animation with concurrent narration group performed better than the narration group, in problem-solving (M = 4.91, SD = 1.36 and in retention test (M = 5.98, SD = 1.28 t(28 = 1.89 p<0.01. An instructional implication is that pictures with words is more effective way of teaching when they occur continuingly in time, than only words during Physical Education lesson.

  7. Family narratives on fostering a child with a history of sexual abuse

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wubs, Susanna; Grietens, Hans; Batstra, Laura

    2016-01-01

    The impact of a history of sexual abuse on foster families has been studied, although never from a multilevel family perspective. Therefore, in Project Iris narratives are collected on the expertise, needs and experiences of family members in foster families concerning the care for a child with a

  8. The Professional Lives of Teacher Victims of Workplace Bullying: A Narrative Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Wet, Corene

    2011-01-01

    In order to expand the body of knowledge on workplace bullying in South Africa the aim of this article is to report on findings from a narrative analysis. In this article the professional life stories of two teachers, who have been exposed to bullying by their principals over an extended period of time, are retold. The narratives describe how and…

  9. Flexicurity from the Individual's Work-Life Balance Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Larsen, Trine Pernille

    2010-01-01

    , such work—life balance constraints are rarely examined in most flexicurity studies and their effects on other forms of flexibility and security are therefore often overlooked. This article calls for a more nuanced concept of flexicurity, which takes the individual’s work—life balance perspective......Based on a comparative analysis of work and care situations of employees with caring responsibilities in Finland, Portugal and the UK, this article argues that workers with eldercare responsibilities seem more likely to face difficulties than working parents, although many working parents also...... struggle to combine work and childrearing. The constraints such employees face in their daily lives due to caring responsibilities have significant implications for their flexibility and employability in the labour market — mainly because of inadequate care services and inflexible employers. However...

  10. A Schoolmarm All My Life: Personal Narratives from Frontier Utah.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinkead, Joyce, Ed.

    This book presents edited versions of the personal narratives of 24 Mormon women who taught school in frontier Utah. Drawn primarily from the archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, the accounts detail the women's lives as Mormons, as pioneers, and as teachers and have been edited to focus on the education of women,…

  11. Honouring a Life and Narrative Work: John's Story

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ryan, Sara

    2018-01-01

    The importance of witnessing broken narratives and somehow writing or representing these is matched by the challenges associated with trying to do this within a context of normativity and expected academic practice. We have to be convincing in our work, both in terms of rigour and dependability but also in terms of the way we make sense of the…

  12. Looking through the Glass Ceiling: A Qualitative Study of STEM Women's Career Narratives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amon, Mary J

    2017-01-01

    Although efforts have been directed toward the advancement of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) positions, little research has directly examined women's perspectives and bottom-up strategies for advancing in male-stereotyped disciplines. The present study utilized Photovoice, a Participatory Action Research method, to identify themes that underlie women's experiences in traditionally male-dominated fields. Photovoice enables participants to convey unique aspects of their experiences via photographs and their in-depth knowledge of a community through personal narrative. Forty-six STEM women graduate students and postdoctoral fellows completed a Photovoice activity in small groups. They presented photographs that described their experiences pursuing leadership positions in STEM fields. Three types of narratives were discovered and classified: career strategies, barriers to achievement, and buffering strategies or methods for managing barriers. Participants described three common types of career strategies and motivational factors, including professional development, collaboration, and social impact. Moreover, the lack of rewards for these workplace activities was seen as limiting professional effectiveness. In terms of barriers to achievement, women indicated they were not recognized as authority figures and often worked to build legitimacy by fostering positive relationships. Women were vigilant to other people's perspectives, which was costly in terms of time and energy. To manage role expectations, including those related to gender, participants engaged in numerous role transitions throughout their day to accommodate workplace demands. To buffer barriers to achievement, participants found resiliency in feelings of accomplishment and recognition. Social support, particularly from mentors, helped participants cope with negative experiences and to envision their future within the field. Work-life balance also helped participants find

  13. Evoking and Measuring Identification with Narrative Characters - A Linguistic Cues Framework.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Krieken, Kobie; Hoeken, Hans; Sanders, José

    2017-01-01

    Current research on identification with narrative characters poses two problems. First, although identification is seen as a dynamic process of which the intensity varies during reading, it is usually measured by means of post-reading questionnaires containing self-report items. Second, it is not clear which linguistic characteristics evoke identification. The present paper proposes that an interdisciplinary framework allows for more precise manipulations and measurements of identification, which will ultimately advance our understanding of the antecedents and nature of this process. The central hypothesis of our Linguistic Cues Framework is that identification with a narrative character is a multidimensional experience for which different dimensions are evoked by different linguistic cues. The first part of the paper presents a literature review on identification, resulting in a renewed conceptualization of identification which distinguishes six dimensions: a spatiotemporal, a perceptual, a cognitive, a moral, an emotional, and an embodied dimension. The second part argues that each of these dimensions is influenced by specific linguistic cues which represent various aspects of the narrative character's perspective. The proposed relations between linguistic cues and identification dimensions are specified in six propositions. The third part discusses what psychological and neurocognitive methods enable the measurement of the various identification dimensions in order to test the propositions. By establishing explicit connections between the linguistic characteristics of narratives and readers' physical, psychological, and neurocognitive responses to narratives, this paper develops a research agenda for future empirical research on identification with narrative characters.

  14. Religious narrative

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Geertz, Armin W.

    2013-01-01

    Denne artikel er en introduktion til et temanummer i religionslærernes tidsskrift i USA. Den er et udtræk af mit kapitel "Religious Narrative, Cognition and Culture: Approaches and Definitions" udgivet i Religious Narrative, Cognition and Culture: Image and Word in the mind of Narrative, redigeret...

  15. Study on the Related Teaching of "Narrative Creation" and "Narrative Reading" : Making use of "the method of narrative" as a common element

    OpenAIRE

    Mitoh, Yasuhiro

    2014-01-01

    This study has explored the related teaching of "narrative creation" and "narrative reading". For this study, I hypothesized as follows. There is "the method of narrative" in "narrative creation" and "narrative reading" as a common element. By this related teaching that used "the method of narrative" as a common element, children’s ability of "narrative creation" and "narrative reading" will increase. As a result of this study, the following conclusions were obtained. Children surely make use...

  16. Perspectives on spirituality at the end of life: a meta-summary.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Williams, Anna-Leila

    2006-12-01

    A meta-summary of the qualitative literature on spiritual perspectives of adults who are at the end of life was undertaken to summarily analyze the research to date and identify areas for future research on the relationship of spirituality with physical, functional, and psychosocial outcomes in the health care setting. Included were all English language reports from 1966 to the present catalogued in PubMed, Medline, PsycInfo, and CINAHL, identifiable as qualitative investigations of the spiritual perspectives of adults at the end of life. The final sample includes 11 articles, collectively representing data from 217 adults. The preponderance of participants had a diagnosis of cancer; those with HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, and ALS were also represented. Approximately half the studies were conducted in the United States; others were performed in Australia, Finland, Scotland, and Taiwan. Following a process of theme extraction and abstraction, thematic patterns emerged and effect sizes were calculated. A spectrum of spirituality at the end of life encompassing spiritual despair (alienation, loss of self, dissonance), spiritual work (forgiveness, self-exploration, search for balance), and spiritual well-being (connection, self-actualization, consonance) emerged. The findings from this meta-summary confirm the fundamental importance of spirituality at the end of life and highlight the shifts in spiritual health that are possible when a terminally ill person is able to do the necessary spiritual work. Existing end-of-life frameworks neglect spiritual work and consequently may be deficient in guiding research. The area of spiritual work is fertile ground for further investigation, especially interventions aimed at improving spiritual health and general quality of life among the dying.

  17. Performances in a narrative by Sonia Coutinho

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Caio Antônio de Medeiros Nóbrega Nunes Gomes

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available In this article, we suggest the concepts of performance (Butler, 1990 and narrative performativity (Berns, 2013 as analytical tools for reflecting upon Toda Lana Turner tem seu Johnny Stompanato, a short story by the Brazilian writer Sonia Coutinho. A double movement will guide our analysis: we present an articulation between a perspective that takes into account the gender constitution of the characters and a narratological approach towards the reflexive/metafictional form which marks the composition of the short story. By making use of an ironical, intertextual and multi-layered style of writing, Sonia Coutinho constructs a narrative that proposes different discursive agencies in relation to the many instances in which characters’ subjectivities take place. In this sense, we consider this short story as having a deep mark of what we might understand as post-modern literature, for the multiplicity of spaces, characters and times is characteristic of a collective agency between reality and fiction.

  18. Visual narrative structure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohn, Neil

    2013-04-01

    Narratives are an integral part of human expression. In the graphic form, they range from cave paintings to Egyptian hieroglyphics, from the Bayeux Tapestry to modern day comic books (Kunzle, 1973; McCloud, 1993). Yet not much research has addressed the structure and comprehension of narrative images, for example, how do people create meaning out of sequential images? This piece helps fill the gap by presenting a theory of Narrative Grammar. We describe the basic narrative categories and their relationship to a canonical narrative arc, followed by a discussion of complex structures that extend beyond the canonical schema. This demands that the canonical arc be reconsidered as a generative schema whereby any narrative category can be expanded into a node in a tree structure. Narrative "pacing" is interpreted as a reflection of various patterns of this embedding: conjunction, left-branching trees, center-embedded constituencies, and others. Following this, diagnostic methods are proposed for testing narrative categories and constituency. Finally, we outline the applicability of this theory beyond sequential images, such as to film and verbal discourse, and compare this theory with previous approaches to narrative and discourse. Copyright © 2012 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

  19. Historical Contemporaneity and Contemporaneous Historicity: Creation of Meaning and Identity in Postwar Trauma Narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thorsten Wilhelm

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available This paper contends that traumatic memories are not inherently memories of an experienced trauma. It explores a new perspective on post-1945 Jewish-American fiction. Analyzing Jewish-American novels from three generations—survivors, their children, and their grandchildren—the author traces the trajectories and changing perspectives in the narrative productions of these three generations. The analysis uses Jeffrey Alexander’s theory of cultural trauma to analyze generational trajectories in identity formations.

  20. Storytelling Permutations in the Performance of Life Narrative Betty Roland's Caviar for Breakfast.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maureen Clark

    2013-11-01

    Full Text Available Throughout her life, Australian storyteller and playwright Betty Roland (1903-1996 was haunted by the lure of travel. Roland's extensive body of work reflects experiences in Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union in the 1930s, the UK in the 1950s and Greece in the 1960s and charts the evolution of a personal and political philosophy marked by world-wide social upheaval. Caviar for Breakfast (1979 revised 1989, the second volume of Roland's autobiographical trilogy, is the subject of this paper. When taken together, the three books provide a fascinating insight into the values and ideas of the mushrooming modern cultures in which Roland travelled, worked and lived. Caviar for Breakfast retraces Roland's adventures in Joseph Stalin's Soviet Union where she spent fifteen months during 1933-34 with her then lover, Guido Baracchi, a wealthy Marxist scholar. The narrative takes its life from the contents of a diary maintained by Roland during that time and her introductory remarks convey the notion that, what follows, is not a literary enterprise of the imagination. The author insists that Caviar for Breakfast is a first-hand account of past realities and not only does her diary hold the ordering of events together, but is the purveyor of truth. The truth status of the diary as a mode of representation is widely accepted in Western culture. This paper argues, however, that it is impossible for any transcription of a life to enjoy a one-to-one ratio with 'what actually happened' as it is for a ghost to re-enter a world which fully resembles the one it left. It is well within the capacity of any imaginative storyteller to construct a counterfeit, or simulated, sense of reality whether or not s/he works with the diary mode of representation.

  1. Time and narration in Clarín’s La Regenta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vladimir Karanović

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available This paper focuses on the ambiguous concept of time in the novel La Regenta (1884–1885, by Leopoldo Alas Clarín. Time influences the sequence of events in narrative text and materializes through narrative discourse. It can be argued that time relates at once to the spatial and historical dimensions more than it does just to temporal dimension in a narrow sense. Therefore, time and narration in novel can be characterized as pseudo-temporal. The concept of time in this novel of Clarín’s can be seen from two basic perspectives: the linguistic time of narration which is present on the level of language, and figurative time, related to the illusion of time created through narrative text (story time and discourse time. Story time usually involves three methods: retrospection, anticipation and inversion. This paper also considers syntactic aspects of the category of time: the order, sequence and duration of narration. When it comes to the structure of this novel, two parts can be singled out. These parts have almost equal scopes that match with the original version of the novel, which was divided into two parts. The first part is static and expositive and has only a three day time span (chapters I–XV. The second part is dynamic and spans three years (chapters XVI–XXX. The structural and temporal features of the narration help us to identify the cyclic structure of the novel more easily – time has passed and nothing has changed. Vetusta, the static place, has caused one human tragedy. That way, Clarín strategically plays with the concept of time, turning his characters into inanimate beings that after a spiritual fight stay inert and petrified.

  2. From life cycle assessment to sustainable production: Status and perspectives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hauschild, Michael Zwicky; Jeswiet, Jack; Alting, Leo

    2005-01-01

    to the tools for design for disassembly. Life Cycle Engineering is defined, and a systematic hierarchy is presented for the different levels at which environmental impacts from industry can be addressed by the engineer in order to improve the eco-efficiency of the industry. The role of industry in meeting...... the sustainability challenge to our societies is discussed, and it is concluded that industry must include not only the eco-efficiency but also the product's environmental justification and the company ethics in a life cycle perspective in order to become sustainable. In the outlook it is concluded that current...

  3. Towards a narrative theological orientation in a global village from a postmodern urban South African perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Johann-Albrecht Meylahn

    2004-10-01

    Full Text Available This article was motivated by two of the major challenges which I believe congregations are facing within� the context of ministry, namely postmodernity and globalization. After seeking a fuller description of these two challenges I sought� a theological orientation within such a context (postmodern global village as well as an ecclesiological� praxis that could be transformative and redemptive within such a context. I� believe to have found in the narrative orientation an appropriate way for doing theology in the postmodern context. The climax of this journey (story is in the fusion of horizons between the theory-laden questions of descriptive theology and� the historical texts of the Christian faith within the narrative orientation. I discovered that truly transformative and redemptive praxis is only possible within� language communities� narrative communities. These narrative communities cannot exist in isolation, but are continuously confronted and relativised by the stories of other communities in the global village and therefore these language communities need to be open to the fragmentation and pluralism of the global village, otherwise they will not be able to respond to the reality of the globalization and postmodernity. The narrative communities needed a story (sacred story that did not deny the reality� of fragmentation� and pluralism, but could incorporate this reality into its story. I found this story in the story of the cross and� therefore refer to the narrative communities as communities� of� and under the cross� of Christ. These ideas formed the basis for a transformative praxis within a specific congregation, namely Pastoral Redemptive Communities. These narrative communities are not an answer to the postmodern global village, but they do offer a way of proclaiming Christ crucified and allowing the deconstruction of the cross to create a community which is a redemptive alternative to the reality of

  4. Teachers Performing Gender and Belonging: A Case Study of How SENCOs Narrate Inclusion Identities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woolhouse, Clare

    2015-01-01

    This paper investigates how the narratives Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators (SENCOs) tell can be framed as social, discursive practices and performances of identity by analysing accounts offered in focus groups and life history interviews. I explore how the narratives deployed demonstrate an engagement with a rhetoric about who works in…

  5. Animal Autobiography; Or, Narration beyond the Human

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Herman

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available In engaging with acts of self-narration that cross species lines, creators of animal autobiographies also broach questions about genre, truth status, and the structure as well as the politics of narrative representation. To address these questions, the present article draws not just on scholarship on (animal autobiography but also on ideas from the fields of linguistic semantics, politeness theory, and discourse analysis, including the “framing and footing” approach that focuses on talk emerging in contexts of face-to-face interaction and that derives most directly from the work of Erving Goffman. On the basis of this research, and using case studies that range from animal riddles to Ceridwen Dovey’s Only the Animals (2014, a collection of life stories posthumously narrated by a variety of nonhuman tellers, I profile autobiographical acts that reach beyond the human as ways of speaking for or in behalf of animal others. Some animal autobiographies correlate with acts of telling for which humans themselves remain the principals as well as authors; their animal animators remain relegated to the role of commenting on human institutions, values, practices, and artifacts. Other examples, however, can be read as co-authored acts of narrating in behalf of equally hybrid (or “humanimal” principals. These experiments with narration beyond the human afford solidarity-building projections of other creatures’ ways of being-in-the-world—projections that enable a reassessment, in turn, of forms of human being.

  6. "Response to Comments": Finding the Narrative in Narrative Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coulter, Cathy A.

    2009-01-01

    The author responds to comments by Barone (2009), Clandinin and Murphy (2009), and M. W. Smith (2009) on "The Construction Zone: Literary Elements in Narrative Research" (Coulter & M. L. Smith, 2009). She clarifies issues regarding point of view, authorial surplus, narrative coherence, and the relational qualities of narrative research. She…

  7. Understanding Values in a Large Health Care Organization through Work-Life Narratives of High-Performing Employees

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karnieli-Miller, Orit; Taylor, Amanda C.; Inui, Thomas S.; Ivy, Steven S.; Frankel, Richard M.

    2011-01-01

    Objective— To understand high-performing frontline employees’ values as reflected in their narratives of day-to-day interactions in a large health care organization. Methods— A total of 150 employees representing various roles within the organization were interviewed and asked to share work-life narratives (WLNs) about value-affirming situations (i.e. situations in which they believed their actions to be fully aligned with their values) and value-challenging situations (i.e. when their actions or the actions of others were not consistent with their values), using methods based on appreciative inquiry. Results— The analysis revealed 10 broad values. Most of the value-affirming WLNs were about the story-teller and team providing care for the patient/family. Half of the value-challenging WLNs were about the story-teller or a patient and barriers created by the organization, supervisor, or physician. Almost half of these focused on “treating others with disrespect/respect”. Only 15% of the value-challenging WLNs contained a resolution reached by the participants, often leaving them describing unresolved and frequently negative feelings. Conclusions— Appreciative inquiry and thematic analysis methods were found to be an effective tool for understanding the important and sometimes competing role personal and institutional values play in day-to-day work. There is remarkable potential in using WLNs as a way to surface and reinforce shared values and, perhaps more importantly, respectfully to identify and discuss conflicting personal and professional values. PMID:23908820

  8. 生态女性主义视域中《红楼梦》的女娲叙事%Nu Wa Narrative in Dream of the Red Chamberfrom Eco-Feminism Perspective

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    王明丽

    2013-01-01

    As a “outsider” in the internal aristocratic daily life community , Daiyu's critical and constructive“eye” refers to the Nu Wa narrative from gender perspective which shows the male and female body sympathetic feelings based on the ecology of the divinity and humanity spirit :Women's self narrative of the body is not closed in an imaginary room , but is a new challenge not flinch , showing its open space-time universe with personality humane in meeting the challenges . In the unidentified text structure of the subject and value , women exist in limited circumstances of the combination of heaven with life significance of human beings .%作为置身于贵族世家日常生活共同体内部的“局外人”,黛玉之“眼”的批判性和建构性即女娲叙事的性别视域展现出男女身体交感基础上的生态神性和人文精神:女性自我的身体叙事并非是一个封闭的停留在臆想中的观念,而是一个在新挑战面前不畏缩,在迎接挑战中展示自己的个性人道化的开放性的宇宙时空;在这个主体和价值不确定的文本结构里,日常生活中身体、自然、地方-世界的主体性存在的统一整体性关系都表明了女性自我在有限性的境遇中究天人之际的生活意义。

  9. Rendering Systems Visible for Design: Synthesis Maps as Constructivist Design Narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Jones

    Full Text Available Synthesis maps integrate research evidence, system expertise, and design proposals into visual narratives. These narratives support communication and decision-making among stakeholders. Synthesis maps evolved from earlier visualization tools in systemics and design. They help stakeholders to understand design options for complex sociotechnical systems. Other visual approaches map complexity for effective collaboration across perspectives and knowledge domains. These help stakeholder groups to work in higher-order design contexts for sociotechnical or human-ecological systems. This article describes a constructivist pedagogy for collaborative learning in small teams of mixed-discipline designers. Synthesis mapping enables these teams to learn systems methods for design research in complex problem domains. Synthesis maps integrate knowledge from research cycles and iterative sensemaking to define a coherent design narrative. While synthesis maps may include formal system modeling techniques, they do not require them. Synthesis maps tangibly render research observations and design choices. As a hybrid system design method, synthesis maps are a contribution to the design genre of visual systems thinking.

  10. "Old sertaneja song": narrating a backcountry life story about aging process in homosexuality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcio Alessandro Neman do Nascimento

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available In contemporary times, the discussions about aging become very relevant as a consequence of the increased visibility of the old age issues presented in daily life. Many investigations and statistics bring out the growing number of people entering the so-called third age. This reality is mobilizing all social spheres in order to produce interventional strategies in agreement with the specificities required by this population, as far as what this public can revert back to the society. However, most of these studies seek to identify andlocate this population in plans of life that can often suggest the reification of norms and stereotypes that delimit what become old mean or just discuss the practice of medical care. This paper invests in questioning of modes of subjectification and lifestyles, from the intersections between generation (aging, homosexuality (sexuality and gender and territoriality (provincial town. It presents an analysis of a life story from the perspective of cultural studies and sexualities and gender to capture the subjective lines which constructsubjects and discourses, indicating social practices, modes of subjectification and social, historical, political and cultural conjunctures of determined contexts.

  11. "Old sertaneja song": narrating a backcountry life story about aging process in homosexuality

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcio Alessandro Neman do Nascimento

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available In contemporary times, the discussions about aging become very relevant as a consequence of the increased visibility of the old age issues presented in daily life. Many investigations and statistics bring out the growing number of people entering the so-called third age. This reality is mobilizing all social spheres in order to produce interventional strategies in agreement with the specificities required by this population, as far as what this public can revert back to the society. However, most of these studies seek to identify and locate this population in plans of life that can often suggest the reification of norms and stereotypes that delimit what become old mean or just discuss the practice of medical care. This paper invests in questioning of modes of subjectification and lifestyles, from the intersections between generation (aging, homosexuality (sexuality and gender and territoriality (provincial town. It presents an analysis of a life story from the perspective of cultural studies and sexualities and gender to capture the subjective lines which construct subjects and discourses, indicating social practices, modes of subjectification and social, historical, political and cultural conjunctures of determined contexts.

  12. Doctors' voices in patients' narratives: coping with emotions in storytelling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucius-Hoene, Gabriele; Thiele, Ulrike; Breuning, Martina; Haug, Stephanie

    2012-09-01

    To understand doctors' impacts on the emotional coping of patients, their stories about encounters with doctors are used. These accounts reflect meaning-making processes and biographically contextualized experiences. We investigate how patients characterize their doctors by voicing them in their stories, thus assigning them functions in their coping process. 394 narrated scenes with reported speech of doctors were extracted from interviews with 26 patients with type 2 diabetes and 30 with chronic pain. Constructed speech acts were investigated by means of positioning and narrative analysis, and assigned into thematic categories by a bottom-up coding procedure. Patients use narratives as coping strategies when confronted with illness and their encounters with doctors by constructing them in a supportive and face-saving way. In correspondence with the variance of illness conditions, differing moral problems in dealing with doctors arise. Different evaluative stances towards the same events within interviews show that positionings are not fixed, but vary according to contexts and purposes. Our narrative approach deepens the standardized and predominantly cognitive statements of questionnaires in research on doctor-patient relations by individualized emotional and biographical aspects of patients' perspective. Doctors should be trained to become aware of their impact in patients' coping processes.

  13. Narrative udvidelser

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Skøtt, Bo

    2015-01-01

    Dette pilotstudies ambition er at undersøge, hvordan og hvorfor narrative elementer lejlighedsvist aktiveres af aktører i deres kontakt med bibliotekarer i folkebiblioteker. Ved hjælp af en kulturanalytisk tilgang studeres forskellige aktørers narrative udvidelser af referenceinterviewet. Teoretisk....... Pilotstudiet bekræfter de 2 indledende antagelser: 1) at nogle aktører anvender narrative udvidelser, fordi de vælger at betone den mellemmenneskelige relation mellem aktør og bibliotekar, som om det var enhver anden social relation og derved ignorerer andre, mere repræsentative dele af bibliotekarernes...... funktioner. Og 2) at nogle aktører anvender narrative udvidelser i bestræbelserne på at legitimere egne sociale positioner og identitetsdannelse gennem kritisk refleksion over bibliotekarernes og folkebibliotekets institutionelle position og magt. Gennem den narrative udvidelse formår disse aktører...

  14. [Medicine and truth: between science and narrative].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Materia, Enrico; Baglio, Giovanni

    2009-01-01

    To which idea of truth may medicine refer? Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is rooted in the scientific truth. To explain the meaning and to trace the evolution of scientific truth, this article outlines the history of the Scientific Revolution and of the parable of Modernity, up to the arrival of pragmatism and hermeneutics. Here, the concept of truth becomes somehow discomfiting and the momentum leans towards the integration of different points of view. The fuzzy set theory for the definition of disease, as well as the shift from disease to syndrome (which has operational relevance for geriatrics), seems to refer to a more complex perspective on knowledge, albeit one that is less defined as compared to the nosology in use. Supporters of narrative medicine seek the truth in the interpretation of the patients' stories, and take advantage of the medical humanities to find the truth in words, feelings and contact with the patients. Hence, it is possible to mention the parresia, which is the frank communication espoused by stoicism and epicureanism, a technical and ethical quality which allows one to care in the proper way, a true discourse for one's own moral stance. Meanwhile, EBM and narrative medicine are converging towards a point at which medicine is considered a practical knowledge. It is the perspective of complexity that as a zeitgeist explains these multiple instances and proposes multiplicity and uncertainty as key referents for the truth and the practice of medicine.

  15. Transplant: a non-fiction narrative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rowe, M

    2002-06-01

    This narrative is taken from a memoir about my son, Jesse, who died at age 19 in 1995 after a liver transplant. It covers two periods-from May 5, his admission date at the hospital to wait for a transplant, until May 9, when a perforation, caused by cutting through intestinal adhesions during transplant surgery, was discovered, and from May 20 to May 22, when his condition became extremely critical. Since Jesse was largely unconscious or semi-conscious during a good part of the period this narrative covers, his personality and conscious struggles shine through less here than they do in other parts of the memoir. Here, the relative emphasis is on parents and physicians and on facing the critical illness, and possible death, of one's child in an intensive care unit, following the very intervention that was to give him a new chance at a healthy life.

  16. Work-life balance in academic medicine: narratives of physician-researchers and their mentors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strong, Erin A; De Castro, Rochelle; Sambuco, Dana; Stewart, Abigail; Ubel, Peter A; Griffith, Kent A; Jagsi, Reshma

    2013-12-01

    Leaders in academic medicine are often selected from the ranks of physician-researchers, whose demanding careers involve multiple professional commitments that must also be balanced with demands at home. To gain a more nuanced understanding of work-life balance issues from the perspective of a large and diverse group of faculty clinician-researchers and their mentors. A qualitative study with semi-structured, in-depth interviews conducted from 2010 to 2011, using inductive analysis and purposive sampling. One hundred former recipients of U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) K08 or K23 career development awards and 28 of their mentors. Three researchers with graduate training in qualitative methods conducted the interviews and thematically coded verbatim transcripts. Five themes emerged related to work-life balance: (1) the challenge and importance of work-life balance for contemporary physician-researchers, (2) how gender roles and spousal dynamics make these issues more challenging for women, (3) the role of mentoring in this area, (4) the impact of institutional policies and practices intended to improve work-life balance, and (5) perceptions of stereotype and stigma associated with utilization of these programs. In academic medicine, in contrast to other fields in which a lack of affordable childcare may be the principal challenge, barriers to work-life balance appear to be deeply rooted within professional culture. A combination of mentorship, interventions that target institutional and professional culture, and efforts to destigmatize reliance on flexibility (with regard to timing and location of work) are most likely to promote the satisfaction and success of the new generation of clinician-researchers who desire work-life balance.

  17. Narrative medicine to improve the management and quality of life of patients with COPD: the first experience applying parallel chart in Italy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Banfi P

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Paolo Banfi,1 Antonietta Cappuccio,2 Maura E Latella,3 Luigi Reale,2 Elisa Muscianisi,3 Maria Giulia Marini2 1Pneumological Rehabilitation, IRCCS Fondazione Don Gnocchi Onlus, Milan, Italy; 2Healthcare Area, Fondazione ISTUD, Milan, Italy; 3Medical Department, Novartis Farma Spa, Origgio, Italy Purpose: Poor adherence to therapy and the failure of current smoking cessation programs demonstrate that the current management of COPD can be improved, and it is necessary to educate physicians about new approaches for taking care of patients. Parallel chart is a narrative medicine tool that improves the doctor–patient relationship by asking physicians to write about their patients’ lives, thereby encouraging reflective thoughts on care. Patients and methods: Between October 2015 and March 2016, 50 Italian pulmonologists were involved in the collection of parallel charts of anonymous patients with COPD. The narratives were analyzed according to the Grounded Theory methodology. Results: In the 243 parallel charts collected, the patients (mean age 69 years, 68% men are described as still active and as a resource for their families (71%. The doctor–patient relationship started as difficult in 50% of cases, and younger age and smoking were the main risk factors. The conversations turned positive in 78% of narratives, displaying deeper mutual knowledge, trust for the clinicians’ ability to establish effective therapy (92%, support efforts to quit smoking (63%, or restore patients’ activities (78%.Conclusion: All the physicians concurred that the adoption of innovative parallel charts was useful for improving clinical care and worthy of official inclusion in protocols for the management of COPD. Keywords: narrative medicine, COPD, doctor–patient relationship, quality of life

  18. Looking through the Glass Ceiling: A Qualitative Study of STEM Women’s Career Narratives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amon, Mary J.

    2017-01-01

    Although efforts have been directed toward the advancement of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) positions, little research has directly examined women’s perspectives and bottom-up strategies for advancing in male-stereotyped disciplines. The present study utilized Photovoice, a Participatory Action Research method, to identify themes that underlie women’s experiences in traditionally male-dominated fields. Photovoice enables participants to convey unique aspects of their experiences via photographs and their in-depth knowledge of a community through personal narrative. Forty-six STEM women graduate students and postdoctoral fellows completed a Photovoice activity in small groups. They presented photographs that described their experiences pursuing leadership positions in STEM fields. Three types of narratives were discovered and classified: career strategies, barriers to achievement, and buffering strategies or methods for managing barriers. Participants described three common types of career strategies and motivational factors, including professional development, collaboration, and social impact. Moreover, the lack of rewards for these workplace activities was seen as limiting professional effectiveness. In terms of barriers to achievement, women indicated they were not recognized as authority figures and often worked to build legitimacy by fostering positive relationships. Women were vigilant to other people’s perspectives, which was costly in terms of time and energy. To manage role expectations, including those related to gender, participants engaged in numerous role transitions throughout their day to accommodate workplace demands. To buffer barriers to achievement, participants found resiliency in feelings of accomplishment and recognition. Social support, particularly from mentors, helped participants cope with negative experiences and to envision their future within the field. Work-life balance also helped participants

  19. Abandoning the performance narrative: Two women's stories of transition from professional sport

    OpenAIRE

    Douglas, K; Carless, D

    2009-01-01

    Despite its potential to illuminate psychological processes within socio-cultural contexts, examples of narrative research are rare in sport psychology. In this study, we employed an analysis of narrative to explore two women's stories of living in, and withdrawing from, professional tournament golf gathered through life history interviews conducted over 6 years. Our findings suggest that immersion in elite sport culture shaped these women's identities around performance values of single-mind...

  20. Successful anglo-american entrepreneurs and the american dream. A narrative analysis

    OpenAIRE

    Keijzer, Marian; Liñán, Francisco (Coordinador); Guzmán Cuevas, Joaquín J. (Coordinador)

    2011-01-01

    Some of the most successful entrepreneurs in the Anglo-American world have written their autobiographies. A narrative analysis of these autobiographies reveal the influence of the American Dream on their life and on the way they tell their lifestories. An emphasis on moral correctness as well as on working hard, perseverance and discipline justifies the success of the narrators. The American Myth seems to be a reality – at least for white, Anglo-American, male entrepreneur...

  1. The Significance of Career Narrative in Examining a High-Achieving Woman's Career

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elley-Brown, Margaret J.

    2011-01-01

    In this qualitative study, the career journey of one New Zealand woman was analysed. Three key findings emerged: the power of narrative as a vehicle for this woman's story, her movement towards greater authenticity and spiritual fulfilment as a mature woman, and the ongoing struggle for concurrent fulfilment from communal and agentic perspectives.…

  2. Evoking and Measuring Identification with Narrative Characters – A Linguistic Cues Framework

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Krieken, Kobie; Hoeken, Hans; Sanders, José

    2017-01-01

    Current research on identification with narrative characters poses two problems. First, although identification is seen as a dynamic process of which the intensity varies during reading, it is usually measured by means of post-reading questionnaires containing self-report items. Second, it is not clear which linguistic characteristics evoke identification. The present paper proposes that an interdisciplinary framework allows for more precise manipulations and measurements of identification, which will ultimately advance our understanding of the antecedents and nature of this process. The central hypothesis of our Linguistic Cues Framework is that identification with a narrative character is a multidimensional experience for which different dimensions are evoked by different linguistic cues. The first part of the paper presents a literature review on identification, resulting in a renewed conceptualization of identification which distinguishes six dimensions: a spatiotemporal, a perceptual, a cognitive, a moral, an emotional, and an embodied dimension. The second part argues that each of these dimensions is influenced by specific linguistic cues which represent various aspects of the narrative character’s perspective. The proposed relations between linguistic cues and identification dimensions are specified in six propositions. The third part discusses what psychological and neurocognitive methods enable the measurement of the various identification dimensions in order to test the propositions. By establishing explicit connections between the linguistic characteristics of narratives and readers’ physical, psychological, and neurocognitive responses to narratives, this paper develops a research agenda for future empirical research on identification with narrative characters. PMID:28751875

  3. Freedom and Confinement: Patients’ Experiences of Life with Home Haemodialysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    C. Vestman

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Patients with chronic end stage renal disease need dialysis to survive; however, they also need a treatment that suits their life situation. It is important that healthcare providers provide reliable, up-to-date information about different dialysis treatment options. Since home haemodialysis is a relatively new treatment, it is necessary to gather more knowledge about what the treatment entails from the patient’s perspective. The aim of this study was to describe patients’ experiences of having home haemodialysis. To gain access to the patients’ experiences, they were asked to write narratives, which describe both their good and bad experiences of life with the treatment. The narratives were analysed with a qualitative method. The results of this analysis are subdivided into five themes: freedom to be at home and control their own treatment, feeling of being alone with the responsibility, changes in the home environment, need for support, and security and well-being with home haemodialysis. The conclusion is that home haemodialysis provides a certain level of freedom, but the freedom is limited as the treatment itself is restrictive. In order to improve patients’ experiences with home haemodialysis, more research based on patients’ experiences is needed and it is necessary to involve the patients in the development of the care.

  4. Narrative Medicine: Community Poetry Heals Young and Old

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Allison S.

    2016-01-01

    This is a snapshot of a service learning course founded on narrative medicine, a clinical practice designed to replace impersonal care with empathic listening. By utilizing poetry therapy techniques among nursing home populations, a program called "HPU LifeLines" promotes a community literacy of illness and provides psychological and…

  5. Narrative teorier

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bank, Mads

    2014-01-01

    kapitlet omhandler Narrative psykologiske teorier i et personlighedspsykologisk og socio-kulturelt perspektiv.......kapitlet omhandler Narrative psykologiske teorier i et personlighedspsykologisk og socio-kulturelt perspektiv....

  6. Illness narratives of people who are homeless

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cecilia Håkanson

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Multiple illnesses are common in all homeless populations. While most previous studies have focused on experiences of mental illness, there is a scarcity of studies about experiences of bodily illness among people who are homeless. This study aimed to explore illness narratives of people who are homeless, and how homelessness as a social context shapes the experience of multiple and/or advancing somatic conditions. The design was a qualitative single-case study, using interpretive description. Data were generated through interviews, with nine participants who were homeless rough sleepers in Stockholm, Sweden, recruited while receiving care in a support home for homeless people with complex care needs. The findings revealed experiences of illness embedded in narratives about falling ill, being ill, and the future. The particularity of these illness narratives and the way that they are shaped by homelessness give rise to several observations: the necessity of a capable body for survival; chaos and profound solitude in illness and self-care management; ambiguous feelings about receiving care, transitioning from independence, and “freedom” in the streets to dependency and being institutionalized; and finally, the absence of hope and desire for recovery or a better future. The narratives are discussed from the perspective of Frank's four types of illness stories (restitution, chaos, quest, and testimony. The findings stress that to provide appropriate care and support to people who are homeless and have multiple and/or advancing somatic conditions, health care professionals need to be informed both about the individual's biography and about the circumstances under which illness and self-care takes place in the streets.

  7. Formulate, Formalize and Run! How Narrative Theories shape and are shaped by Interactive Digital Narrative

    OpenAIRE

    Szilas, Nicolas

    2016-01-01

    What are the links between narrative theories and computing? Narrative works are countless in the digital world: narrative hypertext and hypermedia, interactive fiction, video games, blogs, location-based narrative, etc. They not only form new analytical objects for narrative theories, but also may extend existing narrative theories. One specific type of digital narratives, AI-based Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN), plays a special role in this landscape because it makes use of narrative t...

  8. Losing the Plot: Narrative, Counter-Narrative and Violent Extremism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andrew Glazzard

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Counter-terrorist practitioners and policy makers appear to be very interested in narrative. They often describe the worldview of violent Islamist groups and movements as the ‘jihadi narrative’, while their efforts to confront terrorist propaganda are usually labelled as ‘counter-narrative’ or ‘alternative narrative’. However, while the counter-narrative approach has gained widespread acceptance in governments, think-tanks and civil society organisations, it is built on very shaky theoretical and empirical foundations. Some valuable theoretical contributions to the study of violent extremist narrative have been made by psychologists in particular, but there is one discipline which is conspicuous by its absence from the field: literary studies. This paper makes a case for the value of studying violent extremist narratives as narratives in the literary sense. By employing the tools and techniques of literary criticism, violent extremist communication can be revealed as not only potentially persuasive, but also creative and aesthetically appealing: terrorists inspire their followers, they don’t merely persuade them. Understanding the creative sources of this inspiration is vital if counter-narrative is to succeed in presenting an alternative to the propaganda of violent extremist groups.

  9. Arts, literature and reflective writing as educational strategies to promote narrative reasoning capabilities among physiotherapy students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Caeiro, Carmen; Cruz, Eduardo Brazete; Pereira, Carla Mendes

    2014-11-01

    The use of arts, literature and reflective writing has becoming increasingly popular in health professionals education. However, research examining its contribution as an educational strategy to promote narrative reasoning capabilities is limited, particularly from the students' perspective. This study aimed to explore the final year physiotherapy students' perspectives about the contribution of arts, literature and reflective writing in facilitating narrative reasoning capabilities. Three focus group meetings using a semi-structured interview schedule were carried out to collect data. Focus group sessions were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to conduct the study and analyze the transcripts. Three themes emerged: (1) developmental understanding of the patients' experiences; (2) developmental understanding about the self; and (3) embedding reflection in clinical practice. Students emphasized an increasing capability to be sensitive and vicariously experience the patient's experience. Through reflective writing, students reported they became more capable of thinking critically about their practice and learning needs for continuous professional development. Finally, students highlighted the contribution of these strategies in making reflection part of their practice. Final year physiotherapy students reported enhanced skills of narrative reasoning. The findings support the inclusion of these strategies within the undergraduate physiotherapy curricula.

  10. Design of An Electronic Narrator on Assistant Robot for Blind People

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ardiansyah Rizqi Andry

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Many personal service robot is developed to help blind people in daily life, such as room cleaning, for navigating, object finding, reading and other activities. In this context, the present work focuses the development of an image-to-speech application for the blind. The project is called Design of An Electronic Narrator on Assistant Robot for Blind People, and the final purpose is the design of an electronic narrator application on personal service robot that helps to narrate a text on a book, magazine, a sheet of paper etc to a blind person. To achieve that, a Raspberry pi board, a light sensor, OpenCV computer vision library, Tesseract OCR (Optical Character Recognition library, eSpeak Text-to-Speech Synthesizer (TTS library are integrated, which is enables the blind person to hear a narration from text on a book, magazine, a sheet etc.

  11. The taming of the shrew: batterers' constructions of their wives' narratives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borochowitz, Dalit Yassour

    2008-10-01

    Constructing a life story is a need shared by all humans to give their lives meaning and coherence. This article explores some of the narrative devices that batterers use to achieve a sense of coherence when telling their stories and justifying their violent behavior. A central theme that emerged from these stories centered on the men's perception of their wives as the embodiment of their own emotions and inner world. Two narrative strategies were identified in this context: (a) The construction of a "couple narrative" that focused on an idealized marital relationship rather than "allowing" the wife her story and (b) constructing a story around the theme of "she's not the same woman I married," which portrays the wife as "a shrew" and the violence as an attempt to discipline her. The stories of 18 batterers were used for this analysis, and two narratives were used to illustrate these strategies.

  12. Narrating Palaeolithic Human Settlement History : the case of the Imjin-Hantan River Area, Korea

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yongwook Yoo

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available This article intends to furnish a narrative story-telling with the broad perspective on the human past rather than simply depending on the analytical examination of archaeological data. For the purpose of this task, Ferdinand Braudel’s concept of “la longue durée” is applied to parallel the environmental background and hominid’s life/land-use patterns based on the geological data and archaeological remains. The Imjin-Hantan River Area (IHRA, known for the discovery of Acheulian-like handaxe, was occupied from ca 0.23 mya to the final Pleistocene; the hominids continuously changed their residing patterns in the landscape with actively modifying the lithic technological organization as a response to the environmental change. Integrating the geological features, absolute dates and characteristics of lithic assemblages from individual sites, we can recognize six phases of environmental changes based on the development of river channel system. These six phases witness different patterns of hominid’s adaptation in this area and correspondingly yield different mode of raw material utilization and lithic procurement. While more accurate geological dates are yet to be published and the description of lithic assemblages may be changed by new data, it is prospecting that Braudel’s la longue durée is a useful concept for meaningfully narrating a long-term human occupation history in the discipline of prehistoric archaeology.

  13. A Commentary on Perceived Need from Indian Perspective

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ankur Joshi

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available The current Indian health –care scenario is overwhelmed not only with burden of diseases but also with quality of care and expenditures.  The structure of this paper is interwoven around a storyline about a patient and narrations of the active actors involved in the journey of illness including patient himself. The narrations are followed by a commentary as an attempt to decipher the deeper meaning of narration from the population perspectives. The essential aim of this exercise is to establish the necessity of generalist care from a qualitative view-point in Indian context.

  14. Navigating across Cultures: Narrative Constructions of Lived Experience

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pufall-Jones, Elizabeth; Mistry, Jayanthi

    2010-01-01

    In this study, we investigated how individuals from diverse backgrounds learn to navigate the many worlds in which they live and explore how variations in life experiences are associated with aspects of navigating across cultures. We conducted the study using a phenomenological approach based on retrospective personal narratives from 19 young…

  15. Modern architecture in a life cycle perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Vestergaard, Inge

    2017-01-01

    By confronting the mistakes from the Modern Movement, the ideas of modernistic architecture are under pressure. This paper will summarize the primary architectural mistakes of the mono-functional thinking in planning and building and the non-appropriate environmental dispositions of the big plans...... architectural transformations on city level and on housing level. The transformation goals are to secure the economy and the social and the environmental aspects in the transformation´s life-cycle perspective in order to make the buildings and the districts interact with and adapt to society. The conclusion...... points out the architectural consequences of prioritizing in the transformation process the social parameters higher than the original rigid architectural theories....

  16. Narratives of Suffering in the Press: the construction of scenes and the place of the subject

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danila Cal

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available The article seeks to understand the narrative strategies mobilized by press journalism to expose scenes of suffering related to child domestic labor, considered by social organizations as one of the activities in which children and adolescents are more oppressed and have their rights violated. It starts with the theoretical discussion of "politics of pity" (H. Arendt in order to understand in journalistic narratives the suffering appropriations considering the narrative configuration of scenes and of the suffering subject. It explores ethical issues underlying these reports, questioning narrative strategies which are commonly recommended to reporters, as the thematization of injustices in the form of the complaint and a description of characters and life stories in the narratives. It concludes, in the light of the language of pity, that these stories are decisive for how child domestic labor is configured or not as a public issue and to understand the gestures of portrayal the suffering in the journalistic narratives.The article seeks to understand the narrative strategies mobilized by press journalism to expose scenes of suffering related to child domestic labor, considered by social organizations as one of the activities in which children and adolescents are more oppressed and have their rights violated. It starts with the theoretical discussion of "politics of pity" (H. Arendt in order to understand in journalistic narratives the suffering appropriations considering the narrative configuration of scenes and of the suffering subject. It explores ethical issues underlying these reports, questioning narrative strategies which are commonly recommended to reporters, as the thematization of injustices in the form of the complaint and a description of characters and life stories in the narratives. It concludes, in the light of the language of pity, that these stories are decisive for how child domestic labor is configured or not as a public issue

  17. Green perspectives for public health: a narrative review on the physiological effects of experiencing outdoor nature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haluza, Daniela; Schönbauer, Regina; Cervinka, Renate

    2014-05-19

    Natural environments offer a high potential for human well-being, restoration and stress recovery in terms of allostatic load. A growing body of literature is investigating psychological and physiological health benefits of contact with Nature. So far, a synthesis of physiological health outcomes of direct outdoor nature experiences and its potential for improving Public Health is missing. We were interested in summarizing the outcomes of studies that investigated physiological outcomes of experiencing Nature measuring at least one physiological parameter during the last two decades. Studies on effects of indoor or simulated Nature exposure via videos or photos, animal contact, and wood as building material were excluded from further analysis. As an online literature research delivered heterogeneous data inappropriate for quantitative synthesis approaches, we descriptively summarized and narratively synthesized studies. The procedure started with 1,187 titles. Research articles in English language published in international peer-reviewed journals that investigated the effects of natural outdoor environments on humans by were included. We identified 17 relevant articles reporting on effects of Nature by measuring 20 different physiological parameters. We assigned these parameters to one of the four body systems brain activity, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and immune function. These studies reported mainly direct and positive effects, however, our analyses revealed heterogeneous outcomes regarding significance of results. Most of the studies were conducted in Japan, based on quite small samples, predominantly with male students as participants in a cross-sectional design. In general, our narrative review provided an ambiguous illustration of the effects outdoor nature exerted on physiological parameters. However, the majority of studies reported significant positive effects. A harmonizing effect of Nature, especially on physiological stress reactions, was

  18. Green Perspectives for Public Health: A Narrative Review on the Physiological Effects of Experiencing Outdoor Nature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniela Haluza

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available Natural environments offer a high potential for human well-being, restoration and stress recovery in terms of allostatic load. A growing body of literature is investigating psychological and physiological health benefits of contact with Nature. So far, a synthesis of physiological health outcomes of direct outdoor nature experiences and its potential for improving Public Health is missing. We were interested in summarizing the outcomes of studies that investigated physiological outcomes of experiencing Nature measuring at least one physiological parameter during the last two decades. Studies on effects of indoor or simulated Nature exposure via videos or photos, animal contact, and wood as building material were excluded from further analysis. As an online literature research delivered heterogeneous data inappropriate for quantitative synthesis approaches, we descriptively summarized and narratively synthesized studies. The procedure started with 1,187 titles. Research articles in English language published in international peer-reviewed journals that investigated the effects of natural outdoor environments on humans by were included. We identified 17 relevant articles reporting on effects of Nature by measuring 20 different physiological parameters. We assigned these parameters to one of the four body systems brain activity, cardiovascular system, endocrine system, and immune function. These studies reported mainly direct and positive effects, however, our analyses revealed heterogeneous outcomes regarding significance of results. Most of the studies were conducted in Japan, based on quite small samples, predominantly with male students as participants in a cross-sectional design. In general, our narrative review provided an ambiguous illustration of the effects outdoor nature exerted on physiological parameters. However, the majority of studies reported significant positive effects. A harmonizing effect of Nature, especially on physiological

  19. Life Sciences—Life Writing: PTSD as a Transdisciplinary Entity between Biomedical Explanation and Lived Experience

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Norbert W. Paul

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Since the second half of the 20th century, the life sciences have become one of the dominant explanatory models for almost every aspect of human life. Hand in hand with biomedical developments and technologies, the life sciences are constantly shaping and reshaping human lives and changing human biographies in manifold ways. The orientation towards life sciences and biomedicine from the very beginning to the end of human life is driven by the utopian notion that all forms of contingency could be technologically and medically controlled. This paper addresses the interrelatedness of life sciences and human biographies in a field where contingency and risk become essential and existential parts of lived experience: post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD. On the one hand, this diagnostic entity is related to (neuro-biological underpinnings of (a lack of psychic resilience as well as to those of contemporary pharmacotherapy. On the other hand, PTSD is also understood as based on a traumatic life event, which can be accessed through and addressed by talk therapy, particularly narrative exposure therapy (NET. We argue that a novel focus on concepts of narrativity will generate pathways for an interdisciplinary understanding of PTSD by linking biological underpinnings from neurobiological findings, to brain metabolism and pharmacotherapy via the interface of psychotherapy and the specific role of narratives to the lived experience of patients and vice versa. The goal of our study is to demonstrate why therapies such as psychotherapy or pharmacotherapy are successful in controlling the disease burden of PTSD to some extent, but the restitutio ad integrum, the reestablishing of the bodily and psychic integrity remains out of reach for most PTSD patients. As a test case, we discuss the complementary methods of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM and the established procedures of talk therapy (NET to show how a methodological focus on narratives enhanced by

  20. Self-narrative reconstruction in emotion-focused therapy: A preliminary task analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cunha, Carla; Mendes, Inês; Ribeiro, António P; Angus, Lynne; Greenberg, Leslie S; Gonçalves, Miguel M

    2017-11-01

    This research explored the consolidation phase of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) for depression and studies-through a task-analysis method-how client-therapist dyads evolved from the exploration of the problem to self-narrative reconstruction. Innovative moments (IMs) were used to situate the process of self-narrative reconstruction within sessions, particularly through reconceptualization and performing change IMs. We contrasted the observation of these occurrences with a rational model of self-narrative reconstruction, previously built. This study presents the rational model and the revised rational-empirical model of the self-narrative reconstruction task in three EFT dyads, suggesting nine steps necessary for task resolution: (1) Explicit recognition of differences in the present and steps in the path of change; (2) Development of a meta-perspective contrast between present self and past self; (3) Amplification of contrast in the self; (4) A positive appreciation of changes is conveyed; (5) Occurrence of feelings of empowerment, competence, and mastery; (6) Reference to difficulties still present; (7) Emphasis on the loss of centrality of the problem; (8) Perception of change as a gradual, developing process; and (9) Reference to projects, experiences of change, or elaboration of new plans. Central aspects of therapist activity in facilitating the client's progression along these nine steps are also elaborated.

  1. Narrative and Institutional Economics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vyacheslav V. Volchik

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available This article addresses a range of questions associated with the occurrence of a new field of study – narrative economics, which is considered in the context of modern institutionalism. Pioneering works of R. Shiller, G. Akerlof and D. Snower spotlighted the importance of analyzing narratives and narrative influence when studying economic processes. In this paper, a qualitative study of narratives is seen through the prism of an answer to the question: «How do prescribed narratives influence institutions and change them? ». Narratives have much in common with institutions since very often, explicitly or implicitly, they contain value judgements about social interactions or normative aspects shaping behavioral patterns. The identification of dominating narratives enables us to understand better how institutions influence economic (social action. Repeated interactions among social actors are structured through understanding and learning the rules. Understanding of social rules comes from the language – we articulate and perceive the rules drawing on common narratives. Narratives and institutions are helpful when actors gain knowledge about various forms of social communication. Digital technologies, mass media and social networking sites facilitate the spread of narratives, values and beliefs; this process is characterized by increasing returns. Studying narratives and institutions is crucial for modern economic theory because it helps to improve qualitative and quantitative methods of analyzing empirical evidence and enables researchers to understand complex economic processes.

  2. Analysis of patient diaries in Danish ICUs: a narrative approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Egerod, Ingrid; Christensen, Doris

    2009-10-01

    The objective was to describe the structure and content of patient diaries written for critically ill patients in Danish intensive care units (ICUs). Critical illness is associated with physical and psychological aftermath including cognitive impairment and post-traumatic stress. Patient diaries written in the intensive care unit are used to help ICU-survivors come to terms with their illness. The study had a qualitative, descriptive and explorative design, using a narrative approach of analysis. Data were analysed on several levels: extra-case level, case level, diary-entry level, and sub-entry level. The sample consisted of 25 patient diaries written by critical care nurses in 2007 for patients at a general ICU in Denmark. The base narrative describes three stages: crisis, turning point, and normalisation. Each case includes parallel plots of nurse, patient and family, which converge during normalisation. Each diary is structured by: summary, daily entries and end note. Each diary entry is structured by: greeting, narrator status, patient status, family status/contextual cues and sign-off note. Patient diaries acknowledge the patient experience and provide new insights into nursing performance. This study offers a framework for understanding ICU patient diaries, which may facilitate cross-unit comparisons and support future guideline development. The dual perspectives of patient diaries and the ambiguous ownership of the narratives may pave the way for insights to improve critical care nursing and ICU rehabilitation.

  3. Exploratory Study of Depressed Adolescents’ Life Narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Aurore Boulard

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the life stories of depressive adolescents and compare them with non-clinical adolescents’ life stories. Methods: For this purpose, we compared 20 life stories of hospitalized adolescents suffering from major depressive episode with 40 life stories of adolescents attending school divided into two groups: 20 non-depressed and 20 depressed adolescents. Results: Results showed that life stories differed as a function of psychopathology. Depressed hospitalized adolescents spoke about their disease and defined themselves by their depression. The depressed adolescents in school concentrated on schooling and school achievements, while the non-depressed group defined themselves by their family, friends and inclusion in a peer group. Conclusion: These analyses allowed us to highlight specific themes mentioned by each of the three groups of adolescents. Although life stories are personal and unique, analysis of such stories allows us to better understand the daily reality of depressive adolescents and the relationships between the life events they experience, daily stressors, depression and how they construct their personal history.

  4. 毛奇龄评点《西厢记》的叙事论%Narrative Theory of Mao Qiling’s Commentaries on Romance ofWest Chamber

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    杨绪容

    2016-01-01

    毛奇龄的《西厢记》论释处于继王骥德和凌初以来《西厢记》学术性评点的顶端,其叙事论实可与金圣叹的叙事论双峰并立于清代戏曲评点史上。毛氏评点虽亦兴之所至,率性而发,但通读全篇则不难发现其系统性、理论性。如论叙事视角之“旁观”、叙事内容之“转变”、叙事照应之“暗度金针”、叙事节奏之“抑扬顿挫”,无一不体现毛氏的独到见解。其叙事论又可与西方现代叙事学相通。毛氏论析的叙述层次、叙事视角、叙事照应、叙事节奏、叙事方法,大致涵盖了现代叙事学的叙述人、叙事时间、叙事方法等范畴。梳理毛奇龄评点《西厢记》的叙事论,有助于构建古代叙事学与现代叙事学的内在关联,为中国叙事学固本培根。%Mao Qiling’s academic commentaries on Romance ofWest Chamber have been deemed among the best since Wang Jide’s and Ling Mengchu’s commentaries.His narrative theory juxtaposed with Jin Sheng-tan’s as the best two in the history of drama commentary in Qing Dynasty.Mao’s commentaries are spontane-ous and candid on the spur of moment,yet systematic and theoretical if read holistically.For instances,the narrative perspective as“an onlooker”in term of narrative perspective,“twists and turns”in terms of narrative contents,“exquisite foreshadowing”in terms of narrative correlation and “rising and falling tones”in terms of narrative rhythm,all have shown Mao’s distinctive opinions.Mao’s narrative theory is in agreement with west-ern modern narratology in that Mao’s narrative layers,perspectives,correlations and methods generally include such categories as narrators,narrative time,narrative methods in modern narratology.The study of Mao’s nar-rative theory in the perspective of his commentaries on Romance ofWest Chamber can help construct the internal correlation between ancient and modern narratology

  5. Ethical challenges in surgery as narrated by practicing surgeons

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nordam Ann

    2005-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The aim of this study was to explore the ethical challenges in surgery from the surgeons' point of view and their experience of being in ethically difficult situations. Methods Five male and five female surgeons at a university hospital in Norway were interviewed as part of a comprehensive investigation into the narratives of nurses and physicians about being in such situations. The transcribed interview texts were subjected to a phenomenological-hermeneutic interpretation. Results No differences in ethical reasoning between male and female surgeons were found. They reasoned in both action and relational ethical perspectives. Surgeons focused on their relationships with patients and colleagues and their moral self in descriptions of the ethical challenges in their work. Dialogue and personal involvement were important in their relationships with patients. The surgeons emphasized the importance of open dialogue, professional recognition, and an inclusive and accepting environment between colleagues. Conclusion The surgeons are personally challenged by the existential realities of human life in their relationships with patients. They realized that ethical challenges are an inherent part of performing surgery and of life itself, and say that they have to learn to "live with" these challenges in a way that is confirmed both socially and by their inner moral self. This means accepting their personal and professional limitations, being uncertain, being fallible, and being humble. Living with the ethical challenges of surgery seems to contribute to the surgeons' confidence and vulnerability in their professional identity.

  6. Listeners as co-narrators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bavelas, J B; Coates, L; Johnson, T

    2000-12-01

    A collaborative theory of narrative story-telling was tested in two experiments that examined what listeners do and their effect on the narrator. In 63 unacquainted dyads (81 women and 45 men), a narrator told his or her own close-call story. The listeners made 2 different kinds of listener responses: Generic responses included nodding and vocalizations such as "mhm." Specific responses, such as wincing or exclaiming, were tightly connected to (and served to illustrate) what the narrator was saying at the moment. In experimental conditions that distracted listeners from the narrative content, listeners made fewer responses, especially specific ones, and the narrators also told their stories significantly less well, particularly at what should have been the dramatic ending. Thus, listeners were co-narrators both through their own specific responses, which helped illustrate the story, and in their apparent effect on the narrator's performance. The results demonstrate the importance of moment-by-moment collaboration in face-to-face dialogue.

  7. Whose Hearts and Minds? Narratives and Counter-Narratives of Salafi Jihadism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dina Al Raffie

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Since the advent of the Global War on Terror, the world has witnessed the continuation of terrorist activity under the banner of Salafi Jihad. With military action proving insufficient to defeat the propagators of the ideology, attention has turned to the ideology itself. Understanding the narratives that constitute this ideology and the systems in place that help propagate it is crucial to defeating it. Analysis brings to light elements that arguably constitute a Jihadist master narrative as well as support structures that help perpetuate key underlying messages of this master narrative. Successful counter-narratives should focus on rolling back and containing Jihadist narratives whilst simultaneously highlighting the values and attitudes of democratic, free societies

  8. The politics of narrating Cinderella in Namibia | Willemse | Tydskrif ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Although their stories are not overtly political they interpret their social environment, the relationships between men and women and employment interactions. In this sense these narratives communicate deeper dimensions of Namibian colonial relationships. Life in the towns of Aranos and Gochas is uninspiring, since these ...

  9. Co-constructing Understanding of Self Access through Conversational Narrative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    John Adamson

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available This study has shown how stakeholders of a new Self Access Learning Center (SALC co-construct views about the center’s development though conversational narratives. Conversational narratives are a means in this study to provide important insights into SALC’s growth and also represent sites of valuable social practice to strengthen collegiality among its participants. This dialogic process illustrates a diversity of perspectives which have emerged over the first year in its growth, and which inform the center’s management on metaphors of self access, language policy, its integration with university curricula, and how it and its staff are positioned in the organization. As part of a larger ethnographic study into the center, these unscripted, free-form dialogues are valued because they mirror the flat hierarchical structure which the center aims to support in its community of practice to legitimize its participants’ voices.

  10. DIGITAL NARRATIVES IN FUTURE UKRAINIAN LANGUAGE AND LITERATURE TEACHERS TRAINING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olena Semenoh

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available In the article on the basis of analyzing theoretical sources and practical experience some scientists’ works are disclosed, which deal with using and designing digital narratives in future Ukrainian language and literature teachers’ training, to develop a personality’s information and digital competence. It is reported that the themes, which are focused on postgraduate students’ acquainting with digital technologies of studying linguistic subjects at university, in specialized classes in secondary school, and a new type of educational institutions, should be introduced into language and methodological training. The author emphasizes on the relevance and importance of using digital narratives for democratization and humanization, the inspiration of the educational process. Narratives (stories in literary works, letters, confessions, biographies, diaries, comments, portrait sketches, pedagogical aphorisms, scripts, summaries of lessons with notes in the margins and others, biographical and pedagogical narratives provide information about the events, situations, taking into account individual reflexed experience of outstanding teachers. If students have an opportunity to develop skills of making narratives, they will gradually get communicative competences and feeling of confidence in their own ability that are necessary in the life. The works by M. Leshchenko and L. Tymchuk that are devoted to studying biography narratives are overviewed. The author suggests her own works of studying biography narratives of outstanding personalities (O. Zakharenko, I. Ziaziun, N. Voloshyna, L. Matsko and others. Digital narrative is characterized as a dynamic means of sending information messages in which a word, an image and sound are expressed in a joint digital code; as multimedia project that combines text, a picture, audio and video files in a short video clip. It is spoken in detail that digital narratives that are used or made together with students

  11. Assessing construction innovation: theoretical and practical perspectives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Davis

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Innovation is key for productivity improvement and advancements in different sectors of the economy, including the construction sector.  The criticism of the slow pace of innovation in construction industry may be unwarranted, considering the structure of the industry and nature of the construction business.  The loosely coupled nature of firms, mostly Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s, delivering ‘projects’ through partial engagement, together with the distinction between the project innovation and firm innovation makes it difficult to extract innovations in a meaningful way.  The problem also lies in conceptualising, defining, articulating and assessing innovation in construction.  The literature is replete with research into construction innovation, however, there is limited research into understanding how innovation is perceived and narrated in practice.  The paper aims to explore how innovation is assessed and narrated in construction, specifically analysing theory and practice perspectives.  A theoretical model was constructed from a structured literature review illustrating existing discourse and narratives of construction innovation assessment.  A qualitative analysis of ‘Professional Excellence in Building’ submission documents to the Australian Institute of Building was performed to identify the practice perspective of innovation.  The findings suggest that internal organizational and process innovation account for the majority of improvements identified.  Importantly a taxonomy of narrative is developed that articulates how the construction industry in Australia views industry innovation.

  12. O AUTOCONHECIMENTO, O NARRADOR ONISCIENTE, A VIDA COMUM SELF-KNOWLEDGE, OMNISCIENT NARRATOR, ORDINARY LIFE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Waldomiro José da Silva Filho

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Este texto investiga algumas dificuldades que o Externalismo Semântico apresenta para a idéia de “autoconhecimento” e “autoridade da primeira pessoa”. Defendo que essas dificuldades nascem, principalmente, do fato de que os argumentos externalistas, frequentemente, recorrem a experimentos mentais construídos na perspectiva de um narrador onisciente. Creio que “autoconhecimento” e “autoridade da primeira pessoa” devem ser pensados não do ponto de vista da epistemologia, mas das nossas capacidades práticas ordinárias de avaliarmos, ponderarmos, criticarmos, julgarmos nossos pensamentos, atitudes e ações, principalmente quando queremos dar uma prova, planejar algo, conversar com outras pessoas, justificar, explicar, enfim, quando queremos oferecer razões.This text investigates some difficulties that Semantic Externalism presents for the idea of “self-knowledge” and “first person authority”. I would like to defend that those difficulties originate mainly from the fact that externalist arguments often fall back on mental experiments construed in the perspective of an omniscient narrator. I believe that “self-knowledge” and “first person authority” should be thought of not from the viewpoint of epistemology, but our normal practical capacities to evaluate, ponder, criticize, judge our thoughts, attitudes and actions, especially when we want to give proof, plan something,  talk with other people, justify, explain, in short, when we want to offer reasons.

  13. Transportation life cycle assessment (LCA) synthesis : life cycle assessment learning module series.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-03-12

    The Life Cycle Assessment Learning Module Series is a set of narrated, self-advancing slideshows on : various topics related to environmental life cycle assessment (LCA). This research project produced the first 27 of such modules, which : are freely...

  14. Negotiating Narrative Identity in Intercultural Contexts - the Role of Applied Theatre

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Heidi M. Haraldsen

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study is to investigate how applied theatre can facilitate arenas and methods to support identity development particularly favorable to an intercultural context, explored through the concept of narrative identity. Identity and identity processes may be extra challenging to people with intercultural backgrounds. Research shows that how you master your identity affects how you master your life. A case study of two intercultural applied theatre projects was used to address the research question. The article builds on the experiences of two drama teachers and one teaching artist / artistic leader. The interpretation and analysis of the theory related to practice makes visible how aesthetic processes of negotiating and staging life stories (narratives, through applied theatre methods, facilitate participant's exploring, constructing, re-constructing and meta-reflecting own identity.

  15. Broadening our perspectives on complementary and alternative medicine for menopause: A narrative review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tonob, Dunia; Melby, Melissa K

    2017-05-01

    Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is widely used for menopause, although not all women disclose use to their healthcare providers. This narrative review aims to expand providers' understanding of cross-cultural approaches to treating and managing menopause by providing an overarching framework and perspective on CAM treatments. Increased provider understanding and awareness may improve not only provider-patient communication but also effectiveness of treatments. The distinction between illness (what patients suffer) and disease (what physicians treat) highlights the gap between what patients seek and doctors provide, and may help clarify why many women seek CAM at menopause. For example, CAM is often sought by women for whom biomedicine has been unsuccessful or inaccessible. We review the relevance to menopause of three CAM categories: natural products, mind-body practices including meditation, and other complementary health approaches including traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Japanese Kampo. Assessing the effectiveness of CAM is challenging because of the individualized nature of illness patterns and associated treatments, which complicate the design of randomized controlled trials. Because many women seek CAM due to inefficacy of biomedical treatments, or cultural or economic marginalization, biomedical practitioners who make an effort to learn about CAM and ask patients about their CAM use or interest may dramatically improve the patient-provider relationship and rapport, as well as harnessing the 'meaning response' (Moerman, 2002) imbued in the clinical encounter. By working with women to integrate their CAM-related health-seeking behaviors and treatments, providers may also boost the efficacy of their own biomedical treatments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  16. Transcontextual Narratives of Inclusion: Mediating Feminist and Anti-Feminist Rhetoric

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Verna Marina Ehret

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available In seeking a path to mediating feminist and anti-feminist narratives, one must begin with a framework of the method of narrative analysis being used. Using the works of such thinkers as Paul Ricoeur and Richard Kearney, I argue that human self-understanding and therefore sense of identity is narrative dependent. While this idea has its critics, in the framework of the central question of this essay narrative theory is a particularly productive tool. The story that I tell that gives me identity is not only a story about the surface. It is embedded in my being. I do not simply have a story, I am a story and create my world through that story. Narrative is a part of the ontological structure of being human and the ontic experience of being in the world. One narrates one’s life not in the sense of a movie voiceover, but rather as a reflective and reflexive understanding of oneself. Kearney’s work in Anatheism is particularly useful for this discussion. While Kearney’s interest is in the dialectical move from theism to atheism to a synthesis that is an atheist-informed theism, one can see the same trajectory at work in feminism and anti-feminism. If one begins with patriarchy and moves to feminism, the next step becomes anti-feminism informed by feminism. However, there is still room for an additional dialectical move, to regain a feminism that invites in its detractors and reshapes the collective narratives that impact how we interact with each other in community.

  17. Rural end-of-life care from the experiences and perspectives of patients and family caregivers: A systematic literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rainsford, Suzanne; MacLeod, Roderick D; Glasgow, Nicholas J; Phillips, Christine B; Wiles, Robert B; Wilson, Donna M

    2017-12-01

    End-of-life care must be relevant to the dying person and their family caregiver regardless of where they live. Rural areas are distinct and need special consideration. Gaining end-of-life care experiences and perspectives of rural patients and their family caregivers is needed to ensure optimal rural care. To describe end-of-life care experiences and perspectives of rural patients and their family caregivers, to identify facilitators and barriers to receiving end-of-life care in rural/remote settings and to describe the influence of rural place and culture on end-of-life care experiences. A systematic literature review utilising the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Four databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science) were searched in January 2016, using a date filter of January 2006 through January 2016; handsearching of included article references and six relevant journals; one author contacted; pre-defined search terms and inclusion criteria; and quality assessment by at least two authors. A total of 27 articles (22 rural/remote studies) from developed and developing countries were included, reporting rural end-of-life care experiences and perspectives of patients and family caregivers. Greatest needs were informational (developed countries) and medications (developing countries). Influence of rural location included distances, inaccessibility to end-of-life care services, strong community support and importance of home and 'country'. Articulation of the rural voice is increasing; however, there still remain limited published rural studies reporting on patient and family caregivers' experiences and perspectives on rural end-of-life care. Further research is encouraged, especially through national and international collaborative work.

  18. Steam generator life cycle management - B and W perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dhar, D.; Fluit, S.; Millman, J.

    2006-01-01

    This paper is an effort towards the B and W perspective about the effective life cycle management (LCM) of the CANDU Steam Generators (SGs) based on the identification of active and plausible degradation mechanisms for various SG components and the need to achieve a safe and economic operating interval for the station. The objective of this paper is to provide the long-term effective strategy for inspections, maintenance and design modifications as necessary for the safe and reliable operation of the SGs during the plant design life. The derived activities of this strategy need to be integrated with the station outage specific work scope plan for an effective life cycle management. The technical basis for these activities is based on the review of previous field inspection records, maintenance work and modifications at the station and operational experience (OPEX) from other CANDU steam generators with similar design. These activities need to be performed in order to ensure that the SGs perform within an acceptable level of safety and reliability as per the licensing bases, while optimizing station production and cost effectiveness. (author)

  19. Narrative theory: II. Self-generated and experimenter-provided negative income shock narratives increase delay discounting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mellis, Alexandra M; Snider, Sarah E; Bickel, Warren K

    2018-04-01

    Reading experimenter-provided narratives of negative income shock has been previously demonstrated to increase impulsivity, as measured by discounting of delayed rewards. We hypothesized that writing these narratives would potentiate their effects of negative income shock on decision-making more than simply reading them. In the current study, 193 cigarette-smoking individuals from Amazon Mechanical Turk were assigned to either read an experimenter-provided narrative or self-generate a narrative describing either the negative income shock of job loss or a neutral condition of job transfer. Individuals then completed a task of delay discounting and measures of affective response to narratives, as well as rating various narrative qualities such as personal relevance and vividness. Consistent with past research, narratives of negative income shock increased delay discounting compared to control narratives. No significant differences existed in delay discounting after self-generating compared to reading experimenter-provided narratives. Positive affect was lower and negative affect was higher in response to narratives of job loss, but affect measures did not differ based on whether narratives were experimenter-provided or self-generated. All narratives were rated as equally realistic, but self-generated narratives (whether negative or neutral) were rated as more vivid and relevant than experimenter-provided narratives. These results indicate that the content of negative income shock narratives, regardless of source, consistently drives short-term choices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

  20. Narrating psychological distress

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zinken, Jörg; Blakemore, Caroline; Zinken, Katarzyna

    2011-01-01

    Psychological research has emphasized the importance of narrative for a person's sense of self. Building a coherent narrative of past events is one objective of psychotherapy. However, in guided self-help therapy the patient has to develop this narrative autonomously. Identifying patients......' narrative skills in relation to psychological distress could provide useful information about their suitability for self-help. The aim of this study was to explore whether the syntactic integration of clauses into narrative in texts written by prospective psychotherapy patients was related to mild...... to moderate psychological distress. Cross-clausal syntax of texts by 97 people who had contacted a primary care mental health service was analyzed. Severity of symptoms associated with mental health difficulties was assessed by a standardized scale (Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation outcome measure...

  1. Patients' perspectives on quality of life after burn.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kool, Marianne B; Geenen, Rinie; Egberts, Marthe R; Wanders, Hendriët; Van Loey, Nancy E

    2017-06-01

    The concept quality of life (QOL) refers to both health-related outcomes and one's skills to reach these outcomes, which is not yet incorporated in the burn-related QOL conceptualisation. The aim of this study was to obtain a comprehensive overview of relevant burn-specific domains of QOL from the patient's perspective and to determine its hierarchical structure. Concept mapping was used comprising a focus group (n=6), interviews (n=25), and a card-sorting task (n=24) in burn survivors. Participants sorted aspects of QOL based on content similarity after which hierarchical cluster analysis was used to determine the hierarchical structure of burn-related QOL. Ninety-nine aspects of burn-related QOL were selected from the interviews, written on cards, and sorted. The hierarchical structure of burn-related QOL showed a core distinction between resilience and vulnerability. Resilience comprised the domains positive coping and social sharing. Vulnerability included 5 domains subdivided in 13 subdomains: the psychological domain included trauma-related symptoms, cognitive symptoms, negative emotions, body perception and depressive mood; the economical domain comprised finance and work; the social domain included stigmatisation/invalidation; the physical domain comprised somatic symptoms, scars, and functional limitations; and the intimate/sexual domain comprised the relationship with partner, and anxiety/avoidance in sexual life. From the patient's perspective, QOL following burns includes a variety of vulnerability and resilience factors, which forms a fresh basis for the development of a screening instrument. Whereas some factors are well known, this study also revealed overlooked problem and resilience areas that could be considered in client-centred clinical practice in order to customize self-management support. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and ISBI. All rights reserved.

  2. Writing Out of the Unexpected: Narrative Inquiry and the Weight of Small Moments

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gordon, Erick; McKibbin, Kerry; Vasudevan, Lalitha; Vinz, Ruth

    2007-01-01

    In this tale of a single event told from the perspectives of multiple narrators, Erick Gordon, Kerry McKibbin, Lalitha Vasudevan, and Ruth Vinz write about their work together on a Student Press Initiative (SPI) writing project at Horizon Academy, the Department of Correction/Department of Education high school at Rikers Island Jail in New York…

  3. Environmental Product Development Combining the Life Cycle Perspective with Chemical Hazard Information

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Askham, Cecilia

    in the design or redesign process. This thesis concerns marrying the life cycle perspective with chemical hazard information, in order to advance the practice of environmental product development, and hence takes further steps towards sustainable development. The need to consider the full value chain...... for the life cycle of products meant that systems theory and systems engineering principles were important in this work. Life cycle assessment methodology was important for assessing environmental impacts for case products. The new European regulation for chemicals (REACH) provided the main driver......Concerns regarding the short- and long-term detrimental effects of chemicals on human health and ecosystems have made the minimisation of chemical hazards a vitally important issue. If sustainable development is to be achieved, environmental efficient products (and product life cycles...

  4. Narrative work? What on earth?

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J. Woudenberg; L. Bobbink; E. Geurts; M. Pelzer; H. Degen-Nijeboer

    2013-01-01

    This book is about narrative methods and narrative research. The word narrativity derives from the Latin word narrare, which means ‘to tell’. Narratives are present everywhere. They come in the form of fairy tales, drama, drawings, art, history, biography, myths and legends. Narratives can be found

  5. Narrative Means to Preventative Ends: A Narrative Engagement Framework for Designing Prevention Interventions

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miller-Day, Michelle; Hecht, Michael L.

    2013-01-01

    This paper describes a Narrative Engagement Framework (NEF) for guiding communication-based prevention efforts. This framework suggests that personal narratives have distinctive capabilities in prevention. The paper discusses the concept of narrative, links narrative to prevention, and discusses the central role of youth in developing narrative interventions. As illustration, the authors describe how the NEF is applied in the keepin’ it REAL adolescent drug prevention curriculum, pose theoretical directions, and offer suggestions for future work in prevention communication. PMID:23980613

  6. Extending life for people with a terminal illness: a moral right and an expensive death? Exploring societal perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McHugh, Neil; Baker, Rachel M; Mason, Helen; Williamson, Laura; van Exel, Job; Deogaonkar, Rohan; Collins, Marissa; Donaldson, Cam

    2015-03-07

    Many publicly-funded health systems apply cost-benefit frameworks in response to the moral dilemma of how best to allocate scarce healthcare resources. However, implementation of recommendations based on costs and benefit calculations and subsequent challenges have led to 'special cases' with certain types of health benefits considered more valuable than others. Recent debate and research has focused on the relative value of life extensions for people with terminal illnesses. This research investigates societal perspectives in relation to this issue, in the UK. Q methodology was used to elicit societal perspectives from a purposively selected sample of data-rich respondents. Participants ranked 49 statements of opinion (developed for this study), onto a grid, according to level of agreement. These 'Q sorts' were followed by brief interviews. Factor analysis was used to identify shared points of view (patterns of similarity between individuals' Q sorts). Analysis produced a three factor solution. These rich, shared accounts can be broadly summarised as: i) 'A population perspective - value for money, no special cases', ii) 'Life is precious - valuing life-extension and patient choice', iii) 'Valuing wider benefits and opportunity cost - the quality of life and death'. From the factor descriptions it is clear that the main philosophical positions that have long dominated debates on the just allocation of resources have a basis in public opinion. The existence of certain moral positions in the views of society does not ethically imply, and pragmatically cannot mean, that all are translated into policy. Our findings highlight normative tensions and the importance of critically engaging with these normative issues (in addition to the current focus on a procedural justice approach to health policy). Future research should focus on i) the extent to which these perspectives are supported in society, ii) how respondents' perspectives relate to specific resource allocation

  7. Implementing Patient Family-Centered Care Grand Rounds Using Patient/Family Advisor Narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maureen B Fagan DNP, MHA, FNP-BC

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available With the emerging trend of patient family–centered care in health care, it is essential that physicians be exposed to patient and family perspectives of care during medical education and training. Grand Rounds provides an ideal format for physicians to learn about patient family–centered care. At Brigham and Women’s Hospital, we sought to bring the voice of the patient to Patient Family–Centered Grand Rounds in order to expose clinicians to rich narratives describing the medical care received by patients/families and to ultimately change physician practice to reflect patient family–centered principles. We conducted a clinician survey and found promising results indicating that patient/family narratives can be effective at educating physicians about patient family–centered care.

  8. The ontogenesis of narrative: from moving to meaning

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delafield-Butt, Jonathan T.; Trevarthen, Colwyn

    2015-01-01

    Narrative, the creation of imaginative projects and experiences displayed in expressions of movement and voice, is how human cooperative understanding grows. Human understanding places the character and qualities of objects and events of interest within stories that portray intentions, feelings, and ambitions, and how one cares about them. Understanding the development of narrative is therefore essential for understanding the development of human intelligence, but its early origins are obscure. We identify the origins of narrative in the innate sensorimotor intelligence of a hypermobile human body and trace the ontogenesis of narrative form from its earliest expression in movement. Intelligent planning, with self-awareness, is evident in the gestures and motor expressions of the mid-gestation fetus. After birth, single intentions become serially organized into projects with increasingly ambitious distal goals and social meaning. The infant imitates others’ actions in shared tasks, learns conventional cultural practices, and adapts his own inventions, then names topics of interest. Through every stage, in simple intentions of fetal movement, in social imitations of the neonate, in early proto-conversations and collaborative play of infants and talk of children and adults, the narrative form of creative agency with it four-part structure of ‘introduction,’ ‘development,’ ‘climax,’ and ‘resolution’ is present. We conclude that shared rituals of culture and practical techniques develop from a fundamental psycho-motor structure with its basic, vital impulses for action and generative process of thought-in-action that express an integrated, imaginative, and sociable Self. This basic structure is evident before birth and invariant in form throughout life. Serial organization of single, non-verbal actions into complex projects of expressive and explorative sense-making become conventional meanings and explanations with propositional narrative power

  9. Life Stories and Mental Health: The Role of Identification Processes in Theory and Interventions

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Westerhof, Gerben Johan; Bohlmeijer, Ernst Thomas

    2012-01-01

    The goal of this article is to explore the relations between narratives and mental health from a psychological perspective. We argue that a process of identification with personal experiences underlies narrative structures that are known to be related to mental health. Overidentification and

  10. Narration and Escalation. An Empirical Study of Conflict Narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Evelyn Gius

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available This article describes the methodology and the outcomes of an empirical study of conflict narratives. The narratological analysis deployed narratological catego­ries in the structuralist tradition based on Genette and was conducted with the help of the text annotation tool CATMA. The analysis aimed at covering as many narratological phenomena as possible by establishing 14 fields of narrato­logical phenomena that were annotated in a corpus of 39 factual narratives about situations at the workplace with and without conflicts. The evaluation of approximately 28,000 annotations brought to light a series of interrelations be­tween narratological phenomena and the presence or absence of conflicts in the narratives. Additionally, this approach led to the identification of some over­sights of narrative theory by detecting hitherto unnoticed interrelations among narratological concepts.

  11. Quantifying narrative ability in autism spectrum disorder: a computational linguistic analysis of narrative coherence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Losh, Molly; Gordon, Peter C

    2014-12-01

    Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by serious difficulties with the social use of language, along with impaired social functioning and ritualistic/repetitive behaviors (American Psychiatric Association in Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5, 5th edn. American Psychiatric Association, Arlington, 2013). While substantial heterogeneity exists in symptom expression, impairments in language discourse skills, including narrative (or storytelling), are universally observed in autism (Tager-Flusberg et al. in Handbook on autism and pervasive developmental disorders, 3rd edn. Wiley, New York, pp 335-364, 2005). This study applied a computational linguistic tool, Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA), to objectively characterize narrative performance in high-functioning individuals with autism and typically-developing controls, across two different narrative contexts that differ in the interpersonal and cognitive demands placed on the narrator. Results indicated that high-functioning individuals with autism produced narratives comparable in semantic content to those produced by controls when narrating from a picture book, but produced narratives diminished in semantic quality in a more demanding narrative recall task. This pattern is similar to that detected from analyses of hand-coded picture book narratives in prior research, and extends findings to an additional narrative context that proves particularly challenging for individuals with autism. Results are discussed in terms of the utility of LSA as a quantitative, objective, and efficient measure of narrative ability.

  12. The Dark Triad Traits from a Life History Perspective in Six Countries

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter K. Jonason

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Work on the Dark Triad traits has benefited from the use of a life history framework but it has been limited to primarily Western samples and indirect assessments of life history strategies. Here, we examine how the Dark Triad traits (i.e., psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism relate to two measures of individual differences in life history strategies. In Study 1 (N = 937, we replicated prior observed links between life history strategies, as measured by the Mini-K, and the Dark Triad traits using samples recruited from three countries. In Study 2 (N = 1032, we measured life history strategies using the Consideration of Future Consequences Scale and correlated it with the Dark Triad traits in samples recruited from three additional countries. While there was some variability across participants’ sex and country, the results were generally consistent in that psychopathy and (to a lesser extent Machiavellianism were related to faster life history strategies and narcissism was related to slower life history strategies. These results add cross-cultural data and the use of two measures of life history speed to understand the Dark Triad traits from a life history perspective.

  13. Casualties: narrative and images of the war on Iraq.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamada, Seiji; Fawzi, Mary C Smith; Maskarinec, Gregory G; Farmer, Paul E

    2006-01-01

    The Iraqi people have endured an excess burden of morbidity and mortality during the past 15 years due to war and sanctions, with the March 2003 Anglo-American assault on and subsequent occupation of Iraq representing the most recent chapter. Children have been disproportionately affected; many have died from infectious disease, malnutrition, and lack of access to health care. There have been significant differences in the availability of narrative accounts and images of this suffering, reflective of the need of those who wage wars and impose sanctions to keep the public uninformed. This article suggests that public health and medical practitioners have a responsibility to seek out such accounts and images. The authors explore possible responses to narrative and images of this suffering, and outline the sorts of responses engendered by three perspectives-charity, development, and social justice. The suffering of the people of Iraq should spur a response from the health community to alleviate the situation and prevent unnecessary suffering.

  14. Narrated truths: the image of psychiatry in the media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nesseler, Thomas

    2011-11-01

    In recent years, we have witnessed an increase in media attention on the subject of mental illness, which mass media frequently portray as a new phenomenon affecting large sections of the population. Reports about people suffering from mental disorders and on psychiatric or psychotherapeutic clinics, however, are often characterised by their emphasis on stereotypes and one-sided invariably negative attributes both in the choice of wording and the images used. This paper is an attempt to elucidate this apparent contradiction from both a narrative and a socio-historical perspective. In view of the development of modern moving image formats and storytelling techniques, it seeks to identify possible ways of harnessing the media to present a more considered and differentiated picture of psychiatric disorders and mental illnesses. Professionally moderated discussion forums based on social media techniques are to serve just as well as stories that take account of the narrative universals such as reward, success and human relations.

  15. Are specific emotions narrated differently?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Habermas, Tilmann; Meier, Michaela; Mukhtar, Barbara

    2009-12-01

    Two studies test the assertion that anger, sadness, fear, pride, and happiness are typically narrated in different ways. Everyday events eliciting these 5 emotions were narrated by young women (Study 1) and 5- and 8-year-old girls (Study 2). Negative narratives were expected to engender more effort to process the event, be longer, more grammatically complex, more often have a complication section, and use more specific emotion labels than global evaluations. Narratives of Hogan's (2003) juncture emotions anger and fear were expected to focus more on action and to contain more core narrative sections of orientation, complication, and resolution than narratives of the outcome emotions sadness and happiness. Hypotheses were confirmed for adults except for syntactic complexity, whereas children showed only some of these differences. Hogan's theory that juncture emotions are restricted to the complication section was not confirmed. Finally, in adults, indirect speech was more frequent in anger narratives and internal monologue in fear narratives. It is concluded that different emotions should be studied in how they are narrated, and that narratives should be analyzed according to qualitatively different emotions.

  16. Systemic therapy and attachment narratives: Attachment Narrative Therapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dallos, Rudi; Vetere, Arlene

    2014-10-01

    This article outlines an integration of attachment theory with narrative theory and systemic theory and practice: Attachment Narrative Therapy (ANT). This integration offers a more powerful explanatory formulation of the development and maintenance of human distress in relationships, families and communities, and gives direction to psychotherapeutic intervention. © The Author(s) 2014.

  17. Contributions of the Life Course Perspective to Research on Food Decision Making

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson-Askew, Wendy L.

    2012-01-01

    Background The life course perspective (LCP) has emerged as a powerful organizing framework for the study of health, illness, and mortality. LCP represents a “whole life” analysis perspective which originated in the field of sociology. Methods Its concepts are increasingly applied to understanding the development of chronic disease over long periods of time in the human life span. A missing link, however, in the adaptation of the LCP to health research, is the insight the LCP may offer into understanding the societal, social network, and family contexts that frame stability and change in dietary behavior. Results This paper reviews key concepts that comprise the LCP but primarily focuses on applications that have relevance to food decision making in social context. A case study of chronic work–family stress and perceived time scarcity as barriers to dietary improvement is included. Conclusion Illustrative findings are presented on dietary behavior in a diverse sample of lower-income working parents. This paper also offers ideas on increasing the contributions of the LCP to nutritional research. PMID:19890684

  18. The affective tone of narration and posttraumatic growth in organ transplant recipients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zięba Mariusz

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that positive affective tone of narratives is connected to the experience of posttraumatic growth among transplant patients. Kidney transplant patients (N = 51 and liver transplant patients (N = 48 participated in the study. In the first stage, about 10 weeks after transplant, the participants told two stories about important, freely chosen events from their lives. During the second meeting 10-12 months later we measured posttraumatic growth. Results indicated that the affective tone of narratives about past events was associated with the level of post-traumatic growth measured 10-12 months later. This proves that the affective tone of narratives about life, understood as a relatively constant individual characteristic, promote posttraumatic growth.

  19. Narrative and resilience: A comparative analysis of how older adults story their lives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Randall, William; Baldwin, Clive; McKenzie-Mohr, Sue; McKim, Elizabeth; Furlong, Dolores

    2015-08-01

    Of increasing interest to gerontologists is resilience: the capacity for coping with the challenges of later life with openness and positivity. An overlooked factor in resilience, however, is the narrative complexity of older persons' self-accounts. The research on which this article is based is part of a larger project aimed at assessing the role of narrative interventions in strengthening the stories that older people tell about their lives. Presented here are preliminary findings from analyses conducted by our multidisciplinary team (representing gerontology, social work, nursing, dementia studies, and literary theory) on open-ended life story interviews done with 20 community-dwelling individuals (15 F, 5M; aged 65-89 years) who completed the Connor Davidson Resilience Scale. Specifically, we compared the self-accounts of the 6 from these 20 who scored highest on the CDRS with the 7 who scored lowest to determine any patterns in how each group "stories" their lives. We conclude with certain observations of relevance to narrative care. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. What are narratives good for?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Beatty, John

    2016-08-01

    Narratives may be easy to come by, but not everything is worth narrating. What merits a narrative? Here, I follow the lead of narratologists and literary theorists, and focus on one particular proposal concerning the elements of a story that make it narrative-worthy. These elements correspond to features of the natural world addressed by the historical sciences, where narratives figure so prominently. What matters is contingency. Narratives are especially good for representing contingency and accounting for contingent outcomes. This will be squared with a common view that narratives leave no room for chance. On the contrary, I will argue, tracing one path through a maze of alternative possibilities, and alluding to those possibilities along the way, is what a narrative does particularly well. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. The literature, the media system and the emergence of the fourth narrator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Demétrio de Azeredo Soster

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available This is on the assumption that the enunciation processes do not settle just within the devices and their agents, as suggested, in literature and journalism respectively Genette (1988 and Motta (2013. You can also identify them from the media system operations, which is formed by the journalistic devices (websites, social networks, newspapers, magazines etc., when networking. In this perspective, the system holds a narrative voice; It becomes thus a "fourth speaker" plurivocal and multifaceted nature. Because it is a moving object, which requires, in dialogue with Bergson (2005 and Marcondes Filho (2010, adequate methodological approach will be identified by analyzing the enunciative marks that produces in his movements. The reflection will be illustrated through the analysis of how was the media impact of literary narrative Game of Thrones - Game of Thrones by George Martin. The hypothesis is that the fourth narrator, to conduct a systemic nature operations, along the lines of Luhmann (2009, not only reduces the complexity of their utterances as transforms and is transformed in this operation, reconfiguring an entire media ecology.

  2. Unique Outcomes in the Narratives of Young Adults Who Experienced Dating Violence as Adolescents.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Draucker, Claire Burke; Smith, Carolyn; Mazurczyk, Jill; Thomas, Destini; Ramirez, Patricia; McNealy, Kim; Thomas, Jade; Martsolf, Donna S

    2016-01-01

    Narrative therapy, an approach based on the reauthoring of life narratives, may be a useful psychotherapeutic strategy for youth who have experienced dating violence. A cornerstone of narrative therapy is the concept of unique outcomes, which are moments that stand in contrast to a client's otherwise problem-saturated narratives. The purpose of this study was to identify and categorize unique outcomes embedded in narratives about adolescent dating violence. Text units representing unique outcomes were extracted from transcripts of interviews with 88 young adults who had experienced dating violence and were categorized using standard content analytic techniques. Six categories of unique outcome stories were identified: facing-facts stories, standing-up-for-myself stories, cutting-it-off stories, cutting-'em-loose stories, getting-back-on-track stories, and changing-it-up stories. This typology of unique outcomes can inform clinicians who work with clients who have a history of adolescent dating violence. © The Author(s) 2015.

  3. 21st century: what is life from the perspective of physics?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanitskii, Genrikh R

    2010-01-01

    The evolution of the biophysical paradigm over 65 years since the publication in 1944 of Erwin Schroedinger's What is Life? The Physical Aspects of the Living Cell is reviewed. Based on the advances in molecular genetics, it is argued that all the features characteristic of living systems can also be found in nonliving ones. Ten paradoxes in logic and physics are analyzed that allow defining life in terms of a spatial-temporal hierarchy of structures and combinatory probabilistic logic. From the perspective of physics, life can be defined as resulting from a game involving interactions of matter one part of which acquires the ability to remember the success (or failure) probabilities from the previous rounds of the game, thereby increasing its chances for further survival in the next round. This part of matter is currently called living matter. (reviews of topical problems)

  4. Spirituality in narratives of meaning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francois Wessels

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available This article forms part of a study which was inspired by the ever-growing need for significance expressed both by my life coaching and pastoral therapy clients as well as the need for existential meaning reported both in the lay press and academic literature. The study reflected on a life that matters with a group of co-researchers in a participatory action research relationship. The study has been positioned within pastoral theology and invited the theological discourse into a reflection of existential meaning. Adopting a critical relational constructionist epistemology, the research was positioned within a postmodern paradigm. The implications for meaning and research were explored and described. This article tells the story of how spirituality was positioned in the narratives of meaning by my fellow researchers.

  5. [Discontinuation of potentially inappropriate medications at the end of life: perspectives from patients, their relatives, and physicians

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Geijteman, E.C.; Tempelman, M.M.; Dees, M.K.; Huisman, B.A.H.; Perez, R.S.; Zuylen, L. van; Heide, A. van der

    2017-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To obtain insight into the perspectives of patients, relatives and physicians towards potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) at the end of life. DESIGN: Qualitative interview study. METHOD: An analysis of in-depth interviews with 17 patients who were diagnosed as having a life

  6. More than addiction: Examining the role of anonymity, endless narrative, and socialization in prolonged gaming and instant messaging practices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kishonna Gray

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available This ethnographic study explores a user’s prolonged engagement within virtual gaming communities. Likening prolonged engagement with addiction, this research provides an alternative perspective into virtual addiction focusing on three interrelated themes: 1 anonymity, 2 endless narrative, and 3 socialization. By employing narrative interviews and virtual observations, the researchers examine two different cultural, racial and age groups’ user experience within console and computer-based multiplayer environments. More specifically, they explore how the three factors (i.e., anonymity; endless narrative; socialization relate to the prolonged and extended use within these virtual communities and highlight the multifaceted uses of traditional chat services, social media, and the convergence of media existing within these chat communities.

  7. Photographic Portraits: Narrative and Memory

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian Roberts

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available This article is a more general "companion" to the subsequent, Brian ROBERTS (2011 "Interpreting Photographic Portraits: Autobiography, Time Perspectives and Two School Photographs". The article seeks to add to the growing awareness of the importance of visual materials and methods in qualitative social research and to give an introduction to the "photographic self image"—self-portraits and portraits. It focuses on time and memory, including the experiential associations (in consciousness and the senses that the self engenders, thus linking the "visual" (photographic and "auto/biographical". The article attempts to "map" a field—the use of portraiture within social science—drawing on narrative and biographical research, on one side, and photographic portraiture, on the other. In supporting the use of photography in qualitative research it points to the need for researchers to have a greater knowledge of photographic (and art criticism and cognisance of photographic practices. The article does not intend to give a definitive account of photographic portraiture or prescribe in detail how it may be used within social science. It is an initial overview of the development and issues within the area of photographic portraiture and an exploration of relevant methodological issues when images of individuals are employed within social science—so that "portraiture" is better understood and developed within biographical and narrative research. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0114-fqs110263

  8. The Methodological Framework for the Study of Nostalgic and Personal Narratives

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    Ivan Kovačević

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Nostalgic narratives occur in two major forms – as historical nostalgia and as personal nostalgia. Personal contents and historical stories can be registered in the free form of life stories, a well-known genre in folkloristics, as well as in narratives obtained through two forms of interview. The first form of interview is generated from anthropological tradition, or rather, ethnographic data gathering and refers to descriptions of social, economic and all other elements of the past, while the other form of interview, generated in psychology, similar to an in-depth interview, refers to personal experiences from an earlier time. When nostalgic narratives are collected using either of these two approaches, it is possible to a conduct an analysis of each narrative on its own, or b compare them in order to determine similarities and differences. Based on this it is possible to determine where and how descriptions of the past which do not coincide with personal experience are generated, which is the main characteristic of both yugonostalgia and other similar ways of remembering the past.

  9. A narrative investigation into the meaning and experience of career success: Perspectives from women participants

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Willie T. Chinyamurindi

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Orientation: In South Africa opportunities are being created that encourage more women to enter the workforce. Understanding how women conceptualise and experience career success affects not only their individual career development but also their general outlook in life. Research purpose: To investigate how a sample of previously disadvantaged women distance learners conceptualise and experience the notion of career success. Motivation for the study: Calls have been made for research incorporating a subjective understanding regarding career success, especially amongst minority groups. Research approach, design and method: An interpretive approach was employed aimed at understanding individual experience and the interpretation of it. Unstructured interviews were conducted shaped by the objectives of the study amongst a sample of women (n = 25. Main findings: Through narratives and stories, findings revealed career success to be conceptualised and experienced as (1 a means of professional attainment and recognition, (2 a contribution to society and (3 evident in material and non-material artefacts. Further, from the sample of women used in this research, the experience of career success considered not only socio-historical issues and community but also the cultural milieu. Education emerged as an enabler of individual pursuit and goals leading to career success. Practical/managerial implications: An understanding of how career success is conceptualised and experienced by previously disadvantaged women can serve as a forerunner to individual specific career development interventions. The results of the study are therefore useful to both academics and practitioners in their formulation of interventions that enable individual career development. Contribution: The experience of career success as found in this study through participant narratives and stories gave a picture of career development processes amongst previously disadvantaged groups in South

  10. GIS-facilitated spatial narratives

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller-Jensen, Lasse; Jeppesen, Henrik; Kofie, Richard Y.

    2008-01-01

    on the thematically and narrative linking of a set of locations within an area. A spatial narrative that describes the - largely unsuccessful - history of Danish plantations on the Gold Coast (1788-1850) is implemented through the Google Earth client. This client is seen both as a type of media in itself for ‘home......-based' exploration of sites related to the narrative and as a tool that facilitates the design of spatial narratives before implementation within portable GIS devices. The Google Earth-based visualization of the spatial narrative is created by a Python script that outputs a web-accessible KML format file. The KML...

  11. Listening with a narrative ear: Insights from a study of fall stories in older adults.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereles, Laurie; Jackson, Roberta; Rosenal, Tom; Nixon, Lara

    2017-01-01

    To determine the value of adding a patient narrative to the clinical assessment of falls in the elderly. Qualitative study of interviews. A fall prevention clinic in Calgary, Alta. Fifteen older adults on a wait list for assessment by the fall clinic and the physiotherapists who assessed them. Participants' stories were audiorecorded and later transcribed and summarized. Stories were collected using open-ended questions, first inviting participants to tell the interviewer about themselves, and then the circumstances of their falls and their reflections on them. In a subsequent visit, transcriptions or summaries were returned to patients for member checking. Narratives were read and analyzed by all 4 investigators using a narrative approach and a close-reading technique. With the patients' additional consent, stories were shared with the fall prevention team for their insights and reactions. Interviews with physiotherapists were audiorecorded and transcribed. The narrative analysis provided new insights into the attitudes about and perceptions of the causes of falls, their effects, and rehabilitation. Close reading exposed presentation of self, locus of control, and underlying social and emotional issues. The addition of patient narratives to clinical assessments offers clinicians an understanding of patients' perspectives, which can be used to better engage patients in rehabilitation. Copyright© the College of Family Physicians of Canada.

  12. Analysis of a narrative-report in the light of the Theory of Argumentation in Language

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    Neiva Maria Tebaldi Gomes

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available This article analyzes the construction of meanings of a narrative in the light of the theory of argumentation in language, proposed by Oswald Ducrot and Jean Anscombre. The object of analysis, the narrative "História de um olhar" [Story of a look] is one among 21 stories from "A vida que ninguém vê" [The life that nobody sees], a book by Eliane Brum, who a Brazilian journalist that has excelled in literary journalism. The analysis, which was conducted with the support of the theory of argumentation in language and, in parallel, with a view at textual syntax, revealed that the structure of the utterances, fragmented at the beginning of the narrative, is modified as the identity of the starring character is being resignified. A narrative whose syntax contributes to the definition of the meanings of the narrative then arises.

  13. Discourse on Narrative Research: The Construction Zone--Literary Elements in Narrative Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coulter, Cathy A.; Smith, Mary Lee

    2009-01-01

    Narrative research has become part of the landscape of education inquiry, yet its theory and practice are still debated and evolving. This article addresses the construction of narratives using literary elements common to nonfiction and fiction writings. The authors discuss these elements and use four narratives to illustrate them. They address…

  14. The impact of self–narratives of motherhood for mothers of children with autism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jerzy Trzebiński

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The main goal of this study was to identify the impact of a narrative construction of a life challenge - discovering to have a child with autism - on the meaning of life and on resources for coping depending on the challenge’s novelty, i.e. the number of years from the diagnosis. 364 mothers of children with autism participated in a long–term 3x2 experiment. Half of the mothers had children with autism at the age of 9–12 years. For the remaining half, having children with autism was a new and stressful life situation. Their children were 2–3 years old and just diagnosed by a medical center as having autism spectrum disorder. The mothers were assigned to one of three study conditions: they were either asked to write stories of their motherhood or to describe their children’s behavior on a questionnaire or they did not participate in any tasks. One month and then four months after this task the participants completed measures of meaning of life and several well–being scales. The results indicated that following the narrative writing the participants had the highest scores on the meaning of life and well–being scales. This affect was sustained over 4 months and was significant only for mothers with older children. The mediation analysis showed that the effects of the experimental conditions on different well–being scales were mediated by the changes in perceived meaning of life. The results suggest that construction of self–narratives of difficult ongoing challenges facilitates meaning making and subsequently strengthens resources for coping. However, it seems that a meaning-making construction of such self–story may be blocked by the uncertainty and stress caused by novelty of the challenging situation.

  15. Australian Aboriginal Memoir and Memory: A Stolen Generations Trauma Narrative

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Justine Seran

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available This article proposes a re-reading of Aboriginal author Sally Morgan’s Stolen Generations narrative My Place (1987 in post-Apology Australia (2008–present. The novel tells the story of Morgan’s discovery of her maternal Aboriginal origins through the life-stories of her mother and grandmother; the object of a quest for the past that is both relational and matrilineal; incorporating elements of autobiography and as-told-to memoirs to create a form of choral autoethnography. Morgan’s text explores the intergenerational consequences of child removal in the Aboriginal context and is representative of Indigenous-authored narratives in its suggestion that the children and grand-children of victims of colonial policies and practices can work through the trauma of their ancestors. I examine the literary processes of decolonization of the Indigenous writing/written self and community; as well as strategies for individual survival and cultural survivance in the Australian settler colonial context; especially visible through the interactions between traumatic memories and literary memoirs, a genre neglected by trauma theory’s concern with narrative fragmentation and the proliferation of “themed” life-writing centered on a traumatic event. This article calls for a revision of trauma theory’s Eurocentrism through scholarly engagement with Indigenous experiences such as Morgan’s and her family in order to broaden definitions and take into account collective, historical, and inherited trauma.

  16. Families parenting adolescents with substance abuse--recovering the mother's voice: a narrative literature review.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Jackie M; Estefan, Andrew

    2014-11-01

    Alcohol and substance dependency are complex, problematic phenomena, which are growing worldwide. In particular, drug use and abuse among young people is a significant concern. Although addiction presents as a problem of dependent individuals, families are also profoundly affected by the family member's addiction. In this narrative literature review, we review published research from 1937 to 2014 to capture a narrative and historical perspective of addiction and family. We condense and analyze the experiences of parents with alcohol- and drug-dependent children, to emphasize the need for a more specific, in-depth exploration of mothers' experiences. Such exploration may advance nurses' understandings of individual, familial, and social complexities of parenting an addicted child. © The Author(s) 2014.

  17. Narrative in interprofessional education and practice: implications for professional identity, provider-patient communication and teamwork.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clark, Phillip G

    2014-01-01

    Health and social care professionals increasingly use narrative approaches to focus on the patient and to communicate with each other. Both effective interprofessional education (IPE) and practice (IPP) require recognizing the various values and voices of different professions, how they relate to the patient's life story, and how they interact with each other at the level of the healthcare team. This article analyzes and integrates the literature on narrative to explore: self-narrative as an expression of one's professional identity; the co-creation of the patient's narrative by the professional and the patient; and the interprofessional multi-vocal narrative discourse as co-constructed by members of the healthcare team. Using a narrative approach to thinking about professional identity, provider-patient communication, and interprofessional teamwork expands our thinking about both IPE and IPP by providing new insights into the nature of professional practice based on relationships to oneself, the patient, and others on the team. How professionals define themselves, gather and present information from the patient, and communicate as members of a clinical team all have important dimensions that can be revealed by a narrative approach. Implications and conclusions for the further development of the narrative approach in IPE and IPP are offered.

  18. Marathon maternity oral history project: Exploring rural birthing through narrative methods.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orkin, Aaron; Newbery, Sarah

    2014-01-01

    To explore how birthing and maternity care are understood and valued in a rural community. Oral history research. The rural community of Marathon, Ont, with a population of approximately 3500. A purposive selection of mothers, grandmothers, nurses, physicians, and community leaders in the Marathon medical catchment area. Interviews were conducted with a purposive sample, employing an oral history research methodology. Interviews were conducted non-anonymously in order to preserve the identity and personhood of participants. Interview transcripts were edited into short narratives. Oral histories offer perspectives and information not revealed in other quantitative or qualitative research methodologies. Narratives re-personalize and humanize medical research by offering researchers and practitioners the opportunity to bear witness to the personal stories affected through medical decision making. Eleven stand-alone narratives, published in this issue of Canadian Family Physician, form the project's findings. Similar to a literary text or short story, they are intended for personal reflection and interpretation by the reader. Presenting the results of these interviews as narratives requires the reader to participate in the research exercise and take part in listening to these women's voices. The project's narratives will be accessible to readers from academic and non-academic backgrounds and will interest readers in medicine and allied health professions, medical humanities, community development, gender studies, social anthropology and history, and literature. Sharing personal birthing experiences might inspire others to reevaluate and reconsider birthing practices and services in other communities. Where local maternity services are under threat, Marathon's stories might contribute to understanding the meaning and challenges of local birthing, and the implications of losing maternity services in rural Canada.

  19. Education, Language, and Identity: A Narrative Inquiry on Perspectives in Rural South Africa

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Donnell, Kristie

    2017-01-01

    This qualitative study takes a narrative approach to inquiring into the lived experiences of linguistically diverse students. As students are often placed into developmental education courses due to factors that point back to their linguistic diversity, scholarly literature demonstrates a need for inquiry that informs both research and practice.…

  20. Shift work to balance everyday life - a salutogenic nursing perspective in home help service in Sweden

    OpenAIRE

    Agosti, Madelaine T?rnquist; Andersson, Ingemar; Ejlertsson, G?ran; Janl?v, Ann-Christin

    2015-01-01

    Background: Nurses in Sweden have a high absence due to illness and many retire before the age of sixty. Factors at work as well as in private life may contribute to health problems. To maintain a healthy work–force there is a need for actions on work-life balance in a salutogenic perspective. The aim of this study was to explore perceptions of resources in everyday life to balance work and private life among nurses in home help service. Methods: Thirteen semi-structured individual interviews...

  1. Narrative House: A Metaphor For Narrative Therapy: Tribute To ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This article is a tribute to Michael White, co-founder of narrative therapy, who passed away on 5 April 2008. Michael White and David Epston founded a substantial and ground-breaking psychological movement based on narrative therapy. Michael touched with dignity and changed for the better the lives of thousands.

  2. Understanding the Work-Life Interaction from a Working Time Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Pedersen, Vivi Bach

    time not only defines the temporal structure of work, but also determines the individual’s social time. The theoretical framework is based on theories concerning influence, in particular Organizational Participation (e.g. Heller, Pusic, Strauss & Wilpert, 1998) and Self-Determination Theory (e.g. Deci...... & Ryan, 2002). Through theoretical analyses it is shown that a participatory influence approach reveals new perspectives in understanding the complexity of the work-life phenomenon and help counteracting the undesirable split-up between the existing conflict versus balance approaches. Participants from...

  3. Cinematic narratives of Sonderkommando: Son of saul or narrating the victim, perpetrator, trauma and death

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daković Nevena

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this paper is to map out - by analysing the film Son of Saul, but also by its comparison with two other films dealing with the topic, Himmelkommando and The Grey Zone, the narrative mechanism that satisfies the complex ethical and aesthetical demands imposed by the theme of Sonderkommando as the particular episode of the Holocaust. The key element of the narrative structure is the construction of the Levi’s “dead and drowned” witness who “resurrected” through the narrative intervention becomes the only reliable and credible narrator of the historical trauma. The prerequisite for his emergence is the narration and representation of the death which makes but also solves the traumatised - understood as multiple, fragmented, opposed - identities of the members of the special squad. Their entangled identity involves the simultaneous presence of a victim, perpetrator, witness and the authentic narrator of the trauma of the death camp. The death of the perpetrator is the condition sina qua non for the emergence of the figure of the victim-witness narrator but also for making of narrative which overcomes the initial trauma of the Holocaust. The detailed analysis of the film Son of Saul confirms and identifies these narratives as the modernist narration of the post-traumatic film.

  4. Monoglossic Echoes in Multilingual Spaces: Language Narratives from a Vietnamese Community Language School in Australia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reath Warren, Anne

    2018-01-01

    This article reports on language narratives in the ecology of a Vietnamese community language school (VCLS) in Australia. The study takes a dialogical perspective, where the stories about language that informants in the research setting tell are understood to shape and be shaped by the contexts in which they are told. Systematic analysis of…

  5. Narrative Therapy in the Co-Construction of Experience and Family Coping when Facing an ADHD Diagnosis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Steve Fernando Pedraza-Vargas**

    2009-12-01

    Full Text Available The narrative therapy establishes that people give sense and meaning to their life and relations relating their experiences, and interacting with others in a meaning full way, modeling like this their own life and relations. This investigation/intervention pretended to understand the organization of the experience and family confront surrounding the possible Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD of a child under age from the narratives built by the family system in a therapy context. The new methodological design included four moments and 12 sceneries of investigation/intervention the process was developed with 3 families participating with reflexive team, the complex comprehension of the neuropsychological diagnosis and the co-construction of the alternative narratives. The results showed how the families built dominant narratives about the manifest symptoms in the child from prejudices and beliefs, and tend to evidence a coalition between the child and the person in charge of the child and the guiltiness between parents. The therapeutic dialogue helps the co-construction of other suitable meanings for the integration and cooperation among the family system and the participation of the wide systems.

  6. Quality of life and time perspective in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laguette, Vanessa; Apostolidis, Themis; Dany, Lionel; Bellon, Nelly; Grimaud, Jean-Charles; Lagouanelle-Simeoni, Marie-Claude

    2013-12-01

    Numerous studies have shown the impact of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on patient quality of life (QoL), but no research has yet examined the impact of time's experience in the assessment of QoL in IBD. Our goal is to explore the links between QoL and time perspective (TP) and the role of TP as a determinant of QoL. Data were collected from 156 patients who completed a questionnaire comprising a generic measure (SF-12) and a specific measure (Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire) of QoL, a measure of TP (ZTPI) and a collection of socio-demographic and medical data. Correlational analyses illustrated the links between TP and QoL. Regression analyses revealed that records of Past-negative and Present-hedonistic perspectives predicted QoL. Past-negative time perspective seemed to have a deleterious impact, while a Present-hedonistic time perspective predicted a better QoL, and this was irrespective of the level of severity of the disease. These results suggest the importance of considering TP as a determinant of psychological QoL. They corroborate earlier findings on the relationship between TP and QoL associated with other pathologies. The past-negative register, which indicates rumination, tells us about the importance of considering the psychological experience of time in order to improve the QoL of patients.

  7. Modeling biochemical transformation processes and information processing with Narrator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mandel, Johannes J; Fuss, Hendrik; Palfreyman, Niall M; Dubitzky, Werner

    2007-03-27

    Software tools that model and simulate the dynamics of biological processes and systems are becoming increasingly important. Some of these tools offer sophisticated graphical user interfaces (GUIs), which greatly enhance their acceptance by users. Such GUIs are based on symbolic or graphical notations used to describe, interact and communicate the developed models. Typically, these graphical notations are geared towards conventional biochemical pathway diagrams. They permit the user to represent the transport and transformation of chemical species and to define inhibitory and stimulatory dependencies. A critical weakness of existing tools is their lack of supporting an integrative representation of transport, transformation as well as biological information processing. Narrator is a software tool facilitating the development and simulation of biological systems as Co-dependence models. The Co-dependence Methodology complements the representation of species transport and transformation together with an explicit mechanism to express biological information processing. Thus, Co-dependence models explicitly capture, for instance, signal processing structures and the influence of exogenous factors or events affecting certain parts of a biological system or process. This combined set of features provides the system biologist with a powerful tool to describe and explore the dynamics of life phenomena. Narrator's GUI is based on an expressive graphical notation which forms an integral part of the Co-dependence Methodology. Behind the user-friendly GUI, Narrator hides a flexible feature which makes it relatively easy to map models defined via the graphical notation to mathematical formalisms and languages such as ordinary differential equations, the Systems Biology Markup Language or Gillespie's direct method. This powerful feature facilitates reuse, interoperability and conceptual model development. Narrator is a flexible and intuitive systems biology tool. It is

  8. Beyond the Investment Narrative

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moss, Peter

    2013-01-01

    The current policy interest in early childhood education and care is driven by an investment narrative, a story of quality and high returns emerging from a dominant neoliberal political economy. This short note expresses deep reservations about this narrative, and hints at another narrative that foregrounds democracy, experimentation and…

  9. A dark past, a restrained present, and an apocalyptic future: time perspective, personality, and life satisfaction among anorexia nervosa patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Danilo Garcia

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Background Despite reporting low levels of well-being, anorexia nervosa patients express temperament traits (e.g., extraversion and persistence necessary for high levels of life satisfaction. Nevertheless, among individuals without eating disorders, a balanced organization of the flow of time, influences life satisfaction beyond temperamental dispositions. A balanced time perspective is defined as: high past positive, low past negative, high present hedonistic, low present fatalistic, and high future. We investigated differences in time perspective dimensions, personality traits, and life satisfaction between anorexia nervosa patients and matched controls. We also investigated if the personality traits and the outlook on time associated to positive levels of life satisfaction among controls also predicted anorexia patients’ life satisfaction. Additionally, we investigated if time perspective dimensions predicted life satisfaction beyond personality traits among both patients and controls. Method A total of 88 anorexia nervosa patients from a clinic in the West of Sweden and 111 gender-age matched controls from a university in the West of Sweden participated in the Study. All participants responded to the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, the Ten Item Personality Inventory, and the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale. Results A t-test showed that patients scored higher in the past negative, the present fatalistic, and the future dimensions, lower in the past positive and the present hedonistic dimensions, higher in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness, and lower in life satisfaction. Regression analyses showed that life satisfaction was predicted by openness to experience and emotional stability for controls and by emotional stability among patients. When time dimensions were entered in the regression, emotional stability and the past negative and past positive time dimensions predicted life satisfaction among controls, but

  10. A dark past, a restrained present, and an apocalyptic future: time perspective, personality, and life satisfaction among anorexia nervosa patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garcia, Danilo; Granjard, Alexandre; Lundblad, Suzanna; Archer, Trevor

    2017-01-01

    Despite reporting low levels of well-being, anorexia nervosa patients express temperament traits (e.g., extraversion and persistence) necessary for high levels of life satisfaction. Nevertheless, among individuals without eating disorders, a balanced organization of the flow of time, influences life satisfaction beyond temperamental dispositions. A balanced time perspective is defined as: high past positive, low past negative, high present hedonistic, low present fatalistic, and high future. We investigated differences in time perspective dimensions, personality traits, and life satisfaction between anorexia nervosa patients and matched controls. We also investigated if the personality traits and the outlook on time associated to positive levels of life satisfaction among controls also predicted anorexia patients' life satisfaction. Additionally, we investigated if time perspective dimensions predicted life satisfaction beyond personality traits among both patients and controls. A total of 88 anorexia nervosa patients from a clinic in the West of Sweden and 111 gender-age matched controls from a university in the West of Sweden participated in the Study. All participants responded to the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory, the Ten Item Personality Inventory, and the Temporal Satisfaction with Life Scale. A t -test showed that patients scored higher in the past negative, the present fatalistic, and the future dimensions, lower in the past positive and the present hedonistic dimensions, higher in conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness, and lower in life satisfaction. Regression analyses showed that life satisfaction was predicted by openness to experience and emotional stability for controls and by emotional stability among patients. When time dimensions were entered in the regression, emotional stability and the past negative and past positive time dimensions predicted life satisfaction among controls, but only the past positive and present hedonistic

  11. Data life cycle: a perspective from the Information Science

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo César Gonçalves Sant’Ana

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: Access and use of data as a key factor has been extended to several areas of knowledge of today's society. It’s necessary to develop a new perspective that presents phases and factors involved in these processes, providing an initial analysis structure, allowing the efforts, skills and actions organization related to the data life cycle. Purpose: This article is a proposal for a new look at the data life cycle, that assumes, as a central element, the data itself, supporting itself on the concepts and contributions that Information Science can provide, without giving up the reflections on the role of other key areas such as Computer Science. Methodology: The methodological procedures consisted of bibliographic research and content analysis to describe the phases and factors related to the Data Life Cycle, developing reflections and considerations from context already consolidated in the development of systems that can corroborate the idea of centrality of data. Results: The results describe the phases of: collect, storage, recovery and discard, permeated by transverse factors: privacy, integration, quality, copyright, dissemination and preservation, composing a Data Life Cycle. Conclusions: The current context of the availability of large volumes of data, with great variety and at speeds that provide access in real time, setting the so-called Big Data that requires new concerns about access and use processes of data. The Information Science may offer a new approach, now centered in the data, and contribute to the optimization of Data Life Cycle as a whole, extending bridges between users and the data they need.

  12. Polymorphous Narrative of Gothic Tradition in Linguistic Perspective: Comparing Fiction and Opera Libretto

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ihina, Zoia

    2015-01-01

    This article is dedicated to revealing linguistic means that realise "the event" in the gothic narrative--H. James's novella "The Turn of the Screw" and the opera libretto of the same name. The event is treated as a situational change of states and presupposes that "the real" and "the unknown" should meet.…

  13. Project Narrative

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Driscoll, Mary C. [St. Bonaventure University, St Bonaventure, NY(United States)

    2012-07-12

    The Project Narrative describes how the funds from the DOE grant were used to purchase equipment for the biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics departments. The Narrative also describes how the equipment is being used. There is also a list of the positive outcomes as a result of having the equipment that was purchased with the DOE grant.

  14. Fulfillment of work-life balance from the organizational perspective: a case study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Goodman, Ashley

    2013-01-01

    Researchers studying work-life balance have examined policy development and implementation to create a family-friendly work environment from an individualistic perspective rather than from a cohort of employees working under the same supervisor. To investigate what factors influence work-life balance within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I clinical setting from the perspective of an athletic training staff. Qualitative study. Web-based management system. Eight athletic trainers (5 men, 3 women; age = 38 ± 7 years) in the NCAA Division I setting. Participants responded to a series of questions by journaling their thoughts and experiences. We included data-source triangulation, multiple-analyst triangulation, and peer review to establish data credibility. We analyzed the data via a grounded theory approach. Three themes emerged from the data. Family-oriented and supportive work environment was described as a workplace that fosters and encourages work-life balance through professionally and personally shared goals. Nonwork outlets included activities, such as exercise and personal hobbies, that provide time away from the role of the athletic trainer. Individualistic strategies reflected that although the athletic training staff must work together and support one another, each staff member must have his or her own personal strategies to manage personal and professional responsibilities. The foundation for a successful work environment in the NCAA Division I clinical setting potentially can center on the management style of the supervisor, especially one who promotes teamwork among his or her staff members. Although a family-friendly work environment is necessary for work-life balance, each member of the athletic training staff must have personal strategies in place to fully achieve a balance.

  15. Fulfillment of Work-Life Balance From the Organizational Perspective: A Case Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazerolle, Stephanie M; Goodman, Ashley

    2013-04-18

      Researchers studying work-life balance have examined policy development and implementation to create a family-friendly work environment from an individualistic perspective rather than from a cohort of employees working under the same supervisor.   To investigate what factors influence work-life balance within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I clinical setting from the perspective of an athletic training staff.   Qualitative study.   Web-based management system.   Eight athletic trainers (5 men, 3 women; age = 38 ± 7 years) in the NCAA Division I setting.   Participants responded to a series of questions by journaling their thoughts and experiences. We included data-source triangulation, multiple analyst triangulation, and peer review to establish data credibility. We analyzed the data via a grounded theory approach.   Three themes emerged from the data. Family-oriented and supportive work environment was described as a workplace that fosters and encourages work-life balance through professionally and personally shared goals. Nonwork outlets included activities, such as exercise and personal hobbies, that provide time away from the role of the athletic trainer. Individualistic strategies reflected that although the athletic training staff must work together and support one another, each staff member must have his or her own personal strategies to manage personal and professional responsibilities.   The foundation for a successful work environment in the NCAA Division I clinical setting potentially can center on the management style of the supervisor, especially one who promotes teamwork among his or her staff members. Although a family-friendly work environment is necessary for work-life balance, each member of the athletic training staff must have personal strategies in place to fully achieve a balance.

  16. The black box in somatization: unexplained physical symptoms, culture, and narratives of trauma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waitzkin, H; Magaña, H

    1997-09-01

    Stimulated by our clinical work with patients who manifest unexplained "somatoform" symptoms in the primary care setting, this article addresses a theoretical black box in our understanding of somatization: how does culture mediate severe stress to produce symptoms that cannot be explained by the presence of physical illness? Despite various problems in his explanation of hysteria, Freud broke new ground by emphasizing narratives of traumatic experiences in the development and treatment of unexplained physical symptoms. Except in anthropologically oriented cultural psychiatry, contemporary psychiatry has traveled away from a focus on narrative in the study of somatization. On the other hand, recent interest in narrative has spread across many intellectual disciplines, including the humanities and literary criticism, psychology, history, anthropology, and sociology. We operationally define narratives as attempts at storytelling that portray the interrelationships among physical symptoms and the psychologic, social, or cultural context of these symptoms. Regarding somatization and trauma, we focus on the ways that narrative integrates the cultural context with traumatic life events. In explaining the black box, we postulate that extreme stress (torture, rape, witnessing deaths of relatives, forced migration, etc.) is processed psychologically as a terrible, largely incoherent narrative of events too awful to hold in consciousness. Culture patterns the psychologic and somatic expression of the terrible narrative. Methodologically, we have developed some techniques for eliciting narratives of severe stress and somatic symptoms, which we illustrate with observations from an ongoing research project. In designing interventions to improve the care of somatizing patients, we are focusing on the creation of social situations where patients may feel empowered to express more coherent narratives of their prior traumatic experiences.

  17. Do Live versus Audio-Recorded Narrative Stimuli Influence Young Children's Narrative Comprehension and Retell Quality?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, Young-Suk Grace

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: The primary aim of the present study was to examine whether different ways of presenting narrative stimuli (i.e., live narrative stimuli versus audio-recorded narrative stimuli) influence children's performances on narrative comprehension and oral-retell quality. Method: Children in kindergarten (n = 54), second grade (n = 74), and fourth…

  18. Drama and Imagination: A Cognitive Theory of Drama's Effect on Narrative Comprehension and Narrative Production

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mages, Wendy K.

    2006-01-01

    This article proposes a cognitive theory of how drama affects two aspects of language development: narrative comprehension and narrative production. It is a theoretical model that explicitly posits the role of the imagination in drama's potential to enhance the development of both narrative comprehension and narrative production. (Contains 2…

  19. Politics of love: narrative structures, intertextuality and social agency in the narratives of parents with disabled children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hanisch, Halvor

    2013-11-01

    Recent research has highlighted how parental narratives can be important in the resistance against disabling processes. This article contains analyses of enabling language in narratives published by Scandinavian disability rights organizations. First, drawing on the work of Fisher and Goodley, I point out that the material constitute a threefold: normality narratives, resistance narratives, and narratives that demonstrate an appreciation of the present and the child's individual alterity. Second, I demonstrate that the last narrative draws on Romanticism rather than linguistic resources from disability culture. Third, I show that these narratives are hyperboles - texts that strengthen and emphasise the valuation to the point where the narrative structure transcends narrative consistency. Fourth, drawing on the work of Kristeva, I argue that this form of narration constitutes an intimate politics of love. © 2013 The Author. Sociology of Health & Illness © 2013 Foundation for the Sociology of Health & Illness/John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  20. Standing up to the black cloud: case example of narrative therapy in the motor vehicle sector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gibson, Michelle

    2015-01-01

    Using a case study, this article presents narrative therapy as an effective psychotherapy practice for work with victims of motor vehicle accidents. By troubling the standard cognitive behavioral approaches as deficit focused, narrative therapy is outlined as an approach that is focused on the skills and values present in the client's life; it is an approach that allows the client to take authorship over his or her concerns and enact change. This article is meant to be an example of narrative therapy's usefulness and open space for conversation about rehabilitation therapies that focus less on structure and more on strength.

  1. Narrative, Preaching, and Formation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Finney, Mark David

    2017-01-01

    This dissertation focuses on the place of narrative in the transformational encounter that can take place between hearers of sermons and God. Chapter 1 surveys the history and development of contemporary scholarship related to narrative preaching. It argues that most homileticians consider narrative either as a way of structuring sermons, or as a…

  2. Sammelrezension: Unreliable Narration

    OpenAIRE

    Orth, Dominik

    2009-01-01

    Eva Laass: Broken Taboos, Subjective Truths. Forms and Functions of Unreliable Narration in Contemporary American Cinema. A Contribution to Film NarratologyVolker Ferenz: Don’t believe his lies. The unreliable narrator in contemporary American cinema

  3. What Is the Story with Narratives? How Using Narratives in Journalism Changes Health Behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaffer, Victoria A; Scherer, Laura D; Focella, Elizabeth S; Hinnant, Amanda; Len-Ríos, María E; Zikmund-Fisher, Brian J

    2018-09-01

    Health journalists frequently use narratives to bring news stories to life, with little understanding about how this influences the health behavior of readers. This study was designed to examine the effect of a New York Times health news article about a person who developed a life-threatening illness after using ibuprofen on readers' future use of ibuprofen. We recruited an Internet sample (N = 405) to participate in a longitudinal study examining ibuprofen use before, immediately following, and two weeks after reading the story. Ibuprofen use two-weeks after reading the heath news article was significantly lower than baseline use. Furthermore, intentions to use ibuprofen were also significantly reduced suggesting that the observed behavior change may persist beyond the two-week period studied. Health journalists should be cautious in their use of stories about health outcomes, particularly when those stories deviate from data about objective risks.

  4. Why Narrating Changes Memory: A Contribution to an Integrative Model of Memory and Narrative Processes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smorti, Andrea; Fioretti, Chiara

    2016-06-01

    This paper aims to reflect on the relation between autobiographical memory (ME) and autobiographical narrative (NA), examining studies on the effects of narrating on the narrator and showing how studying these relations can make more comprehensible both memory's and narrating's way of working. Studies that address explicitly on ME and NA are scarce and touch this issue indirectly. Authors consider different trends of studies of ME and NA: congruency vs incongruency hypotheses on retrieving, the way of organizing memories according to gist or verbatim format and their role in organizing positive and negative emotional experiences, the social roots of ME and NA, the rules of conversation based on narrating. Analysis of investigations leads the Authors to point out three basic results of their research. Firstly, NA transforms ME because it narrativizes memories according to a narrative format. This means that memories, when are narrated, are transformed in stories (verbal language) and socialised. Secondly, the narrativization process is determined by the act of telling something within a communicative situation. Thus, relational situation of narrating act, by modifying the story, modifies also memories. The Authors propose the RE.NA.ME model (RElation, NArration, MEmory) to understand and study ME and NA. Finally, this study claims that ME and NA refer to two different types of processes having a wide area of overlapping. This is due to common social, developmental and cultural roots that make NA to include part of ME (narrative of memory) and ME to include part of NA (memory of personal events that have been narrated).

  5. Paediatric end-of-life care needs in Switzerland: current practices, and perspectives from parents and professionals. A study protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bergstraesser, Eva; Zimmermann, Karin; Eskola, Katri; Luck, Patricia; Ramelet, Anne-Sylvie; Cignacco, Eva

    2015-08-01

    To present a protocol for a multi-phase study about the current practice of end-of-life care in paediatric settings in Switzerland. In Switzerland, paediatric palliative care is usually provided by teams, who may not necessarily have specific training. There is a lack of systematic data about specific aspects of care at the end of a child's life, such as symptom management, involvement of parents in decision-making and family-centred care and experiences and needs of parents, and perspectives of healthcare professionals. This retrospective nationwide multicentre study, Paediatric End-of-LIfe CAre Needs in Switzerland (PELICAN), combines quantitative and qualitative methods of enquiry. The PELICAN study consists of three observational parts, PELICAN I describes practices of end-of-life care (defined as the last 4 weeks of life) in the hospital and home care setting of children (0-18 years) who died in the years 2011-2012 due to a cardiac, neurological or oncological disease, or who died in the neonatal period. PELICAN II assesses the experiences and needs of parents during the end-of-life phase of their child. PELICAN III focuses on healthcare professionals and explores their perspectives concerning the provision of end-of-life care. This first study across Switzerland will provide comprehensive insight into the current end-of-life care in children with distinct diagnoses and the perspectives of affected parents and health professionals. The results may facilitate the development and implementation of programmes for end-of-life care in children across Switzerland, building on real experiences and needs. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01983852. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  6. Forensic historiography: narratives and science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Drukteinis, Albert M

    2014-01-01

    Psychiatrists function, in part, as historians who rely on patient narratives to help them understand presenting mental disorders and explain their causes. Forensic psychiatrists have been skeptical of using narratives, raising concerns about their lack of objectivity and potential for bias. They also have criticized narratives as being more performative than scientific. Recent authors, however, have pointed out that narratives may be helpful in forming forensic opinions and supporting oral testimony, while stressing that their use must be consistent with the ethics espoused by forensic psychiatry. This article reviews the role of narratives in understanding human events and the ubiquitous presence of narratives in the judicial process. It delves into the inescapability of using explicit or implicit narratives in the course of forensic practice, as well as how they may be meaningfully incorporated into evaluations and find expression alongside scientific principles. © 2014 American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law.

  7. A Narrative Inquiry of Identity Formation of EFL University Teachers

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheng, Xiangli

    2016-01-01

    Drawing on narrative inquiry, the present study aims to investigate the trajectory of identity formation of EFL university teachers. Two types of data are collected. One type comes from life histories of Hyland (2014), Nunan (2011) and Widdowson (2009), and the other type comes from semi-structured interviews with three excellent university…

  8. Producing patient-avatar identification in animation video information on spinal anesthesia by different narrative strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Høybye, Mette Terp; Vesterby, Martin; Jørgensen, Lene Bastrup

    2016-06-01

    Visual approaches to health information reduce complexity and may bridge challenges in health literacy. But the mechanisms and meanings of using animated video in communication with patients undergoing surgery are not well described. By comparing two versions of a two-dimensional animated video on spinal anesthesia, this study tested the patient-avatar identification within two different narrative models. To explore the perspectives of total hip arthroplasty, we employed qualitative methods of interviews and ethnographic observation. The animated presentation of the spinal anesthesia procedure was immediately recognized by all participants as reflecting their experience of the procedure independent of the narrative form. The avatar gender did not affect this identification. We found no preference for either narrative form. This study supports the potential of animation video in health informatics as a didactic model for qualifying patient behavior. Animation video creates a high degree of identification that may work to reduce pre-surgical anxiety. © The Author(s) 2014.

  9. Successful grant proposals in science, technology, and medicine a guide to writing the narrative

    CERN Document Server

    Oster, Sandra

    2015-01-01

    There are many resources on grant writing in science, technology and medicine, but most do not provide the practical advice needed to write the narratives of grant proposals. Designed to help novice and experienced investigators write compelling narratives and acquire research funding, this is a detailed guide to the content, organisation, layout, phrasing, and scientific argumentation of narratives. The authors draw on more than twenty years of research and analysis of grant proposals, having worked extensively with investigators at different levels, from pre-doctoral students to senior scientists. They have used this experience to design a framework for scientific writing that you can apply directly to narratives. The guidelines and advice offered are applicable across many funding agencies, including the NIH and NSF. Featuring many real-life examples, the book covers a range of topics, from organisational alternatives to best practices in grammar and editing, overview visuals, and working with contributors...

  10. Marital Status, Marital Transitions, and Health: A Gendered Life Course Perspective*

    OpenAIRE

    Williams, Kristi; Umberson, Debra

    2004-01-01

    We work from a life course perspective to assess the impact of marital status and marital transitions on subsequent changes in the self-assessed physical health of men and women. Our results suggest three central conclusions regarding the association of marital status and marital transitions with self-assessed health. First, marital status differences in health appear to reflect the strains of marital dissolution more than they reflect any benefits of marriage. Second, the strains of marital ...

  11. Testimony in Narrative Educational Research: A Qualitative Interview, Narrative Analysis and Epistemological Evaluation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Christopher, Justin

    2017-01-01

    The purpose of this study is to assess issues that arise in the context of epistemological claims in narrative educational research by means of narrative analysis and epistemological evaluation. The research questions which guided the study were: 1) To what extent is epistemology considered by narrative educational researchers?; 2) What issues do…

  12. Narrating Global Order and Disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Matthew Levinger

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available This thematic issue addresses how strategic narratives affect international order. Strategic narratives are conceived of as stories with a political purpose or narratives used by political actors to affect the behavior of others. The articles in this issue address two significant areas important to the study of international relations: how strategic narratives support or undermine alliances, and how they affect norm formation and contestation. Within a post-Cold War world and in the midst of a changing media environment, strategic narratives affect how the world and its complex issues are understood. This special issue speaks to the difficulties associated with creating creative and committed international cooperation by noting how strategic narratives are working to shape the Post-Cold War international context.

  13. Emerging Trends in Family Caregiving Using the Life Course Perspective: Preparing Health Educators for an Aging Society

    Science.gov (United States)

    Eifert, Elise K.; Adams, Rebecca; Morrison, Sharon; Strack, Robert

    2016-01-01

    Background: As life expectancy and morbidity related to chronic disease increase, the baby boomers will be called upon to provide care to aging members of their family or to be care recipients themselves. Purpose: Through the theoretical lens of the life course perspective, this review of the literature provides insight into what characteristics…

  14. Experiences and Preferences for End-of-Life Care for Young Adults with Cancer and Their Informal Carers: A Narrative Synthesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ngwenya, Nothando; Kenten, Charlotte; Jones, Louise; Gibson, Faith; Pearce, Susie; Flatley, Mary; Hough, Rachael; Stirling, L Caroline; Taylor, Rachel M; Wong, Geoff; Whelan, Jeremy

    2017-06-01

    To review the qualitative literature on experiences of and preferences for end-of-life care of people with cancer aged 16-40 years (young adults) and their informal carers. A systematic review using narrative synthesis of qualitative studies using the 2006 UK Economic and Social Research Council research methods program guidance. Seven electronic bibliographic databases, two clinical trials databases, and three relevant theses databases were searched from January 2004 to October 2015. Eighteen articles were included from twelve countries. The selected studies included at least 5% of their patient sample within the age range 16-40 years. The studies were heterogeneous in their aims, focus, and sample, but described different aspects of end-of-life care for people with cancer. Positive experiences included facilitating adaptive coping and receiving palliative home care, while negative experiences were loss of "self" and nonfacilitative services and environment. Preferences included a family-centered approach to care, honest conversations about end of life, and facilitating normality. There is little evidence focused on the end-of-life needs of young adults. Analysis of reports including some young adults does not explore experience or preferences by age; therefore, it is difficult to identify age-specific issues clearly. From this review, we suggest that supportive interventions and education are needed to facilitate open and honest communication at an appropriate level with young people. Future research should focus on age-specific evidence about the end-of-life experiences and preferences for young adults with cancer and their informal carers.

  15. Collage Life Story Elicitation Technique: A Representational Technique for Scaffolding Autobiographical Memories

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Schalkwyk, Gertina J.

    2010-01-01

    A basic premise in narrative therapy and inquiry is that life story telling is a mechanism by which experiences are rendered meaningful within some form of structure. However, narrative inquiry has to take cognisance of difficulties ensuing from discursive practices for different populations when eliciting their life stories. In this article I…

  16. The use of abstract paintings and narratives to foster reflective capacity in medical educators: a multinational faculty development workshop

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karkabi, Khaled; Wald, Hedy S; Cohen Castel, Orit

    2014-01-01

    Reflective capacity is integral to core healthcare professional practice competencies. Reflection plays a central role in teacher education as reflecting on teaching behaviours with critical analysis can potentially improve teaching practice. The humanities including narrative and the visual arts can serve as a valuable tool for fostering reflection. We conducted a multinational faculty development workshop aiming to enhance reflective capacity in medical educators by using a combination of abstract paintings and narratives. Twenty-three family physicians or physicians-in-training from 10 countries participated in the workshop. Qualitative assessment of the workshop showed that the combined use of art and narrative was well received and perceived as contributing to the reflective exercise. Participants generally felt that viewing abstract paintings had facilitated a valuable mood transformation and prepared them emotionally for the reflective writing. Our analysis found that the following themes emerged from participants’ responses: (1) narratives from different countries are similar; (2) the use of art helped access feelings; (3) viewing abstract paintings facilitated next steps; (4) writing reflective narratives promoted examination of educational challenges, compassion for self and other, and building an action plan; and (5) sharing of narrative was helpful for fostering active listening and appreciating multiple perspectives. Future research might include comparing outcomes for a group participating in arts–narrative-based workshops with those of a control group using only reflective narrative or in combination with figurative art, and implementing a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods of assessment. PMID:24273319

  17. Positive and Negative Childhood and Adolescent Identity Memories Stemming from One's Country and Culture-of-Origin: A Comparative Narrative Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bazuin-Yoder, Amy

    2011-01-01

    The initial cognitive ability to coordinate experience into a hierarchically organized, multi-episode narrative occurs in youth, beginning a narrative record of ego identity development that continues throughout the life span (Habermas and Bluck in "Psychological Bulletin" 126:748-769, 2000; Habermas and de Silveira in "Developmental Psychology"…

  18. Marie-Laure Ryan. Kenneth Foote, and Maoz Azaryahu. Narrating Space / Spatializing Narrative : Where Narrative Theory and Geography Meet.

    OpenAIRE

    Harding, Wendy

    2017-01-01

    In the wake of Gerard Genette’s Figures I-III, (1967-70) and Paul Ricoeur’s Temps et Récit (1983-85), narratologists have been very much concerned with questions of time. The aim of Narrating Space / Spatializing Narrative : Where Narrative Theory and Geography Meet is to reorient the discipline by studying the ways in which “space can intersect with narrative” (1). To pursue this project, Marie-Laure Ryan, a literary specialist, has joined forces with two geographers, Kenneth Foote and Maoz ...

  19. Understanding institutional stakeholders’ perspectives on multidrug-resistant bacterial organism at the end of life: a qualitative study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heckel, Maria; Herbst, Franziska A; Adelhardt, Thomas; Tiedtke, Johanna M; Sturm, Alexander; Stiel, Stephanie; Ostgathe, Christoph

    2017-01-01

    Background Information lacks about institutional stakeholders’ perspectives on management approaches of multidrug-resistant bacterial organism in end-of-life situations. The term “institutional stakeholder” includes persons in leading positions with responsibility in hospitals’ multidrug-resistant bacterial organism management. They have great influence on how strategies on multidrug-resistant bacterial organism management approaches in institutions of the public health system are designed. This study targeted institutional stakeholders’ individual perspectives on multidrug-resistant bacterial organism colonization or infection and isolation measures at the end of life. Methods Between March and December 2014, institutional stakeholders of two study centers, a German palliative care unit and a geriatric ward, were queried in semistructured interviews. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed qualitatively with the aid of the software MAXQDA for qualitative data analysis using principles of Grounded Theory. In addition, two external stakeholders were interviewed to enrich data. Results Key issues addressed by institutional stakeholders (N=18) were the relevance of multidrug-resistant bacterial organism in palliative and geriatric care, contradictions between hygiene principles and patients’ and family caregivers’ needs and divergence from standards, frame conditions, and reflections on standardization of multidrug-resistant bacterial organism end-of-life care procedures. Results show that institutional stakeholders face a dilemma between their responsibility in protecting third persons and ensuring patients’ quality of life. Until further empirical evidence establishes a clear multidrug-resistant bacterial organism management approach in end-of-life care, stakeholders suggest a case-based approach. Conclusion The institutional stakeholders’ perspectives and their suggestion of a case-based approach advance the development

  20. Understanding institutional stakeholders' perspectives on multidrug-resistant bacterial organism at the end of life: a qualitative study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Heckel, Maria; Herbst, Franziska A; Adelhardt, Thomas; Tiedtke, Johanna M; Sturm, Alexander; Stiel, Stephanie; Ostgathe, Christoph

    2017-01-01

    Information lacks about institutional stakeholders' perspectives on management approaches of multidrug-resistant bacterial organism in end-of-life situations. The term "institutional stakeholder" includes persons in leading positions with responsibility in hospitals' multidrug-resistant bacterial organism management. They have great influence on how strategies on multidrug-resistant bacterial organism management approaches in institutions of the public health system are designed. This study targeted institutional stakeholders' individual perspectives on multidrug-resistant bacterial organism colonization or infection and isolation measures at the end of life. Between March and December 2014, institutional stakeholders of two study centers, a German palliative care unit and a geriatric ward, were queried in semistructured interviews. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed qualitatively with the aid of the software MAXQDA for qualitative data analysis using principles of Grounded Theory. In addition, two external stakeholders were interviewed to enrich data. Key issues addressed by institutional stakeholders (N=18) were the relevance of multidrug-resistant bacterial organism in palliative and geriatric care, contradictions between hygiene principles and patients' and family caregivers' needs and divergence from standards, frame conditions, and reflections on standardization of multidrug-resistant bacterial organism end-of-life care procedures. Results show that institutional stakeholders face a dilemma between their responsibility in protecting third persons and ensuring patients' quality of life. Until further empirical evidence establishes a clear multidrug-resistant bacterial organism management approach in end-of-life care, stakeholders suggest a case-based approach. The institutional stakeholders' perspectives and their suggestion of a case-based approach advance the development process of a patient-, family-, staff-, and institutional

  1. Fulfillment of Work–Life Balance From the Organizational Perspective: A Case Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazerolle, Stephanie M.; Goodman, Ashley

    2013-01-01

    Context: Researchers studying work–life balance have examined policy development and implementation to create a family-friendly work environment from an individualistic perspective rather than from a cohort of employees working under the same supervisor. Objective: To investigate what factors influence work–life balance within the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I clinical setting from the perspective of an athletic training staff. Design: Qualitative study. Setting: Web-based management system. Patients or Other Participants: Eight athletic trainers (5 men, 3 women; age = 38 ± 7 years) in the NCAA Division I setting. Data Collection and Analysis: Participants responded to a series of questions by journaling their thoughts and experiences. We included data-source triangulation, multiple-analyst triangulation, and peer review to establish data credibility. We analyzed the data via a grounded theory approach. Results: Three themes emerged from the data. Family-oriented and supportive work environment was described as a workplace that fosters and encourages work–life balance through professionally and personally shared goals. Nonwork outlets included activities, such as exercise and personal hobbies, that provide time away from the role of the athletic trainer. Individualistic strategies reflected that although the athletic training staff must work together and support one another, each staff member must have his or her own personal strategies to manage personal and professional responsibilities. Conclusions: The foundation for a successful work environment in the NCAA Division I clinical setting potentially can center on the management style of the supervisor, especially one who promotes teamwork among his or her staff members. Although a family-friendly work environment is necessary for work–life balance, each member of the athletic training staff must have personal strategies in place to fully achieve a balance. PMID:24067152

  2. American parent perspectives on quality of life in pediatric cochlear implant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kumar, Roshini; Warner-Czyz, Andrea; Silver, Cheryl H; Loy, Betty; Tobey, Emily

    2015-01-01

    Cochlear implantation influences not only communication but also psychosocial outcomes in children with severe to profound hearing loss. Focusing on issues specific to cochlear implantation (e.g., self-reliance, social relations, education, effects of implantation, and supporting the child) may provide a more accurate and relative view of functional status of pediatric cochlear implant (CI) recipients. The present study analyzes parental perspectives of CI-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with CIs to determine (a) if parents differentially rate their child's quality of life according to psychosocial domain (e.g., communication, self-reliance, education); (b) if associations exist between quality of life domains specific to cochlear implantation in pediatric implant recipients; and (c) if demographic variables (i.e., chronologic age, age at cochlear implantation, duration of device experience) mediate parent ratings of quality of life in pediatric CI recipients. Parents of 33 children with CIs (mean age, 9.85 years; mean age of CI activation, 2.47 years; mean device experience, 7.47 years) completed a validated condition-specific questionnaire, Children With Cochlear Implants: Parental Perspectives. Parents positively rated most HRQoL domains, although education and effects of implantation received significantly less positive ratings (p self-reliance, and well-being) significantly correlated with at least 5 other domains, suggesting that positivity in one domain co-occurs with positivity in other domains. Demographic variables (chronologic age, CI activation age, and duration of CI use) did not correlate significantly with psychosocial outcomes; rather, parents reported positive HRQoL and successful functional use of CI across demographic variables. Parents of children and adolescents with CIs rate overall HRQoL positively across psychosocial domains. Significantly less positive ratings of education and effects of implantation may result

  3. Ethno-cultural diversity in the experience of widowhood in later life: Chinese widows in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martin-Matthews, Anne; Tong, Catherine E; Rosenthal, Carolyn J; McDonald, Lynn

    2013-12-01

    This paper utilizes Helena Znaniecka Lopata's concept of life frameworks as a lens through which to understand the experience of widowhood amongst elderly Chinese immigrant women living in Toronto, Canada. While Lopata defined life frameworks as including social supports, social relations and social roles, for these widows, personal resources (framed in Chinese cultural context) were also important aspects of life frameworks. In-depth interviews with 20 widows contacted through a Chinese community center were conducted in Mandarin and Cantonese and then transcribed and interpreted through team-based qualitative analyses. These women ranged in age from 69 to 93 years and had been in Canada an average of 17 years, with over half of them widowed following immigration. Our analysis framed the widows' narratives in terms of four types of supports defined by Lopata: social, service, financial and emotional supports. They had fairly extensive social and service supports focused primarily around family and the Chinese community. Although norms of filial piety traditionally dictate sons as primary supports, daughters predominated as providers of supports to these widows. Interpreted from a life course perspective, financial supports were deemed sufficient, despite overall limited financial means. Emotional support was more nuanced and complex for these widows. Loneliness and feelings of social isolation were prevalent. Nevertheless, themes of acceptance and satisfaction dominated our findings, as did reciprocity and exchange. The narrative accounts of these widows depict a complexity of experience rooted in their biographies as Chinese women and as immigrants, rather than primarily in widowhood itself. © 2013.

  4. Narrative accounting disclosures

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Aerts, Walter; Clubb, C.; Imam, S.

    2015-01-01

    Narrative accounting disclosures are an integral part of the corporate financial reporting package. They are deemed to provide a view of the company “through the eyes of management”. The narratives represent management's construal of corporate events and are largely discretionary. Research in

  5. Narrative Fortresses: Crisis Narratives and Conflict in the Conservation of Mount Gorongosa, Mozambique

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christy Schuetze

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available A single narrative about the Gorongosa Restoration Project (GRP in Mozambique circulates widely in the popular media. This story characterises the project as an innovative intervention into an ecological crisis situation. The narrative hails the project′s aim to use profits from tourism to address the goals of both human development and conservation of biodiversity, and portrays the park project as widely embraced by long-term residents. This representation helps the project attract broad acclaim, donor funding, and socially conscious visitors, yet it obscures the early emergence of unified opposition to the project′s interventions among long-term residents of Gorongosa Mountain. This article draws on ethnographic research conducted on Gorongosa Mountain between 2006 and 2008 to examine the project′s early activities there. I examine two crisis narratives that led to entrenched conflict between park-based actors and mountain residents. Focusing on the emergence and solidification of divergent narratives-narrative fortresses-about the extension of the park′s activities to Gorongosa Mountain offers insight into the powerful role of crisis narratives in producing and maintaining conflict, leading to outcomes counter to the desires of conservationists. Ultimately, the article points to ways in which narratives of environmental crisis work against aspirations of partnership and collaboration with resident populations in conservation and development schemes.

  6. Multilingualism and later life: a sociolinguistic perspective on age and aging.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Divita, David

    2014-08-01

    In this paper, I contribute to subjective accounts of aging by focusing on a population that has been largely overlooked in social gerontology: individuals in later life who are multilingual. How do such individuals experience and make sense of their multilingualism? What role does language play in the way they experience and make sense of their lives? To answer these questions I take a life story approach to three women who experienced similar sociohistorical circumstances but arrived at different linguistic outcomes: born in Spain around the time of the civil war (1936-1939), they migrated to Paris in the 1960s to pursue social and economic mobility. Although they arrived in France as monolingual Spanish speakers, they have since acquired French and now practice their multilingualism in distinct ways. I juxtapose their life stories to illustrate how the acquisition and use of language are informed by a confluence of personal, social, and historical factors. Focusing on the linguistic dimension of the life course I thus introduce a new perspective on the heterogeneity obtained among individuals at this stage of their biographical trajectories. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  7. Narratives of family members on the suicide of older adults in an Amazonian metropolis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Costa, André Luis Sales da; Souza, Maximiliano Loiola Ponte de

    2017-12-11

    To analyze the narratives of family members on the suicide of older adults in Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil. This is a qualitative study of the narratives of eight older adults, who committed suicide in the period of 2001-2012. In the analytic-interpretative process, we have tried to perform the hermeneutic double exercise: to interpret the interpretation of narrators. We have used as theoretical references authors who have investigated suicide from the perspective of gender and its correlations with the sociofamiliar context and with mental disorders. The family members would conceive the suicide of the older adults as related to losses, which would occur in a strained sociofamiliar scenario, leading to the appearance of psychopathological situations that, if not properly followed, would result in death. There would also be something inexorable in this sequence of events. The older adults, by the very time of their life, would tend to accumulate losses of different aspects in their trajectory. Their rigor and other relational limitations would simultaneously stress family relationships, favoring conflicts, and hinder adherence to treatment. This model of understanding, which has a wide support in the hegemonic medical-psychological discourse, in a sense minimizes possible self- or heteroaccusations directed at family members. Special attention should be given to identify the older adults who present losses, family conflicts, and signs of psychopathology and who do not follow-up psychosocial care services. Strategies to help older adults handle family conflicts and losses, empowering them, should be developed and made available by intersectoral actions. The adequate treatment of psychopathological conditions should be implanted in a context in which active search mechanisms also existed for older adults who abandoned follow-up. The implementation of these actions is a challenge to be faced in Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil, where there is a low availability

  8. Narratives of family members on the suicide of older adults in an Amazonian metropolis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    André Luis Sales da Costa

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To analyze the narratives of family members on the suicide of older adults in Manaus, State of Amazonas, Brazil. METHODS This is a qualitative study of the narratives of eight older adults, who committed suicide in the period of 2001-2012. In the analytic-interpretative process, we have tried to perform the hermeneutic double exercise: to interpret the interpretation of narrators. We have used as theoretical references authors who have investigated suicide from the perspective of gender and its correlations with the sociofamiliar context and with mental disorders. RESULTS The family members would conceive the suicide of the older adults as related to losses, which would occur in a strained sociofamiliar scenario, leading to the appearance of psychopathological situations that, if not properly followed, would result in death. There would also be something inexorable in this sequence of events. The older adults, by the very time of their life, would tend to accumulate losses of different aspects in their trajectory. Their rigor and other relational limitations would simultaneously stress family relationships, favoring conflicts, and hinder adherence to treatment. This model of understanding, which has a wide support in the hegemonic medical-psychological discourse, in a sense minimizes possible self- or heteroaccusations directed at family members. CONCLUSIONS Special attention should be given to identify the older adults who present losses, family conflicts, and signs of psychopathology and who do not follow-up psychosocial care services. Strategies to help older adults handle family conflicts and losses, empowering them, should be developed and made available by intersectoral actions. The adequate treatment of psychopathological conditions should be implanted in a context in which active search mechanisms also existed for older adults who abandoned follow-up. The implementation of these actions is a challenge to be faced in

  9. Preliminary study of religious, spiritual and mystical experiences. Thematic analysis of Poles adult’s narratives

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marta Magdalena Boczkowska

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to examine narratives of the personal religious, spiritual and mystical experiences of adult Poles (N = 74 and their impact on narrative identity. The method for collecting qualitative data about individual understandings and spiritual, religious and mystical experiences was the narrative interview, developed on the basis of the Life Story Interview. During the analysis, the following key topics were identified: awareness of the presence/protection of God, a peak experience, the awareness of oneness with nature and the world, and a sense of closeness/contact with a person who has died. This study provides specific information on the spiritual, religious and mystical experiences of the investigated group of Poles.

  10. Stakeholder perspectives on national policy for regulating the school food environment in Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monterrosa, Eva C; Campirano, Fabricio; Tolentino Mayo, Lizbeth; Frongillo, Edward A; Hernández Cordero, Sonia; Kaufer-Horwitz, Martha; Rivera, Juan A

    2015-02-01

    In Mexico, the school environment has been promoting sale of unhealthy foods. There is little empirical evidence on multi-stakeholder perspectives around national school food policy to regulate this. We studied stakeholders' perspectives on the proposed regulation for school sale of unhealthy foods. Comments about the regulation were available from an open consultation process held in June 2010 before the approval and implementation of the regulation. To examine perspectives, we coded 597 comments for beliefs, expectations and demands in NVivo. We created matrices by actors: academics, parents, citizens, health professionals and food industry. For academics, citizens and health professionals, the primary issue regarding the regulation was obesity, while for parents it was health of children. Academics, citizens, health professionals and parents believed that government was responsible for health of citizens, expected that this regulation would improve eating habits and health (i.e. less obesity and chronic diseases), and demanded that unhealthy foods be removed from schools. Parents demanded immediate action for school food policy that would protect their children. Citizens and health professionals demanded nutrition education and healthy food environment. Food industry opposed the regulation because it would not solve obesity or improve diet and physical activity behaviours. Instead, industry would lose income and jobs. Food industry demanded policy aimed at families that included nutrition education and physical activity. There was substantial consensus in narratives and perspectives for most actor types, with the primary narrative being the food environment followed by shared responsibility. Food industry rejected both these narratives, espousing instead the narrative of personal responsibility. Consensus among most actor groups supports the potential success of implementation of the regulation in Mexican schools. With regard to addressing childhood obesity

  11. Monopolistic Competition, International Trade and Firm Heterogeneity - a Life Cycle Perspective

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Jørgen Ulff-Møller; Hansen, Jørgen Drud

    This paper presents a dynamic international trade model based on monopolistic competition, where observed intra-industry differences at a given point in time reflect different stages of the firm's life cycle. New product varieties of still higher quality enter the market every period rendering old...... varieties obsolescent in a process of creative destruction. For given technology (variety) production costs decrease after an infant period due to learning. It is shown that several patterns of exports may arise depending primarily on the size of fixed trade costs. At a given point in time firms therefore...... differ due to different age, although all firms are symmetric in a life cycle perspective. The paper thus offers an alternative view on firm heterogeneity compared with other recent papers, where productivity differences appear as an outcome of a stochastic process....

  12. Narratives and Accounts: "Post-Crisis" Narration in Annual Company Reports

    Science.gov (United States)

    Winchester, Jules; Williams, Simon

    2014-01-01

    This paper aims to provide Business English and EAP practitioners with a rationale for including the analysis of narrative elements in business addresses in their language teaching in order to encourage critical thinking in learners. By studying these elements, and the rhetorical function of the narrative in particular, students can become more…

  13. The dynamics of unreliable narration

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Per Krogh

    2017-01-01

    Per Krogh Hansen brings attention to one of the most discussed narratological concepts in recent years, the ‘unreliable narrator’. In the article »The Dynamics of Unreliable Narration«, Hansen is considering to what extent the question of authorial control or intention is relevant when analysing...... and interpreting unreliable narrators. In the first part of the article, he questions this claimed essentiality of an authorial agent from three different angles: One concerning the border between diegetic and extradiegetic issues. Another with specific focus on unreliable simultaneous narration (first person......, present tense). And a third with attention paid to the role of unreliable narrators in factual narratives. In the article, he proposes a model for describing the different dynamic roles the authorial agent, as well as the empirical reader, plays in different forms of unreliable narration. Here, terms like...

  14. Narratives of nostalgia in the face of death: The importance of lighter stories of the past in palliative care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Synnes, Oddgeir

    2015-08-01

    My research on the stories of palliative care patients emphasizes the heterogeneity of the types of stories they tell, including stories of illness, of everyday life, of the future, and of the past (Synnes, 2012). This article pays special attention to the prevalence of stories of past experiences in which the past is portrayed through idyllic and nostalgic interpretation. In contrast to most research on illness narratives and narrative gerontology that is preoccupied with stories of change, these stories of nostalgia are characterized by a plot where nothing in particular happens. However, this may be the primary purpose for the storytellers in their particular situation of illness and imminent death. The main purpose of nostalgia is precisely to ensure the continuity of identity in the face of adversity (Davis, 1979). In this article, I argue that these stories of nostalgia are vital aspects of maintaining the continuity of the self, or a narrative identity, when much else in life is characterized by discontinuity and uncertainty. Thus, stories of nostalgia should not be dismissed as escapism but valued and listened to as important aspects of narrative care among palliative care patients, and as a way of preserving the sense of a narrative identity. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Life Cycle Management

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bey, Niki

    2018-01-01

    This chapter gives an overview of Life Cycle Management (LCM)—a discipline that deals with the managerial tasks related to practicing sustainable development in an organisation . Just as Life Cycle Assessment, LCM advocates the life cycle perspective , and it applies this perspective in decision...

  16. A Central Consciousness at Work Beneath the Surface Artlessness: Narrative Strategies in “Tristram Shandy”

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Junfang Xu

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available ‘The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman’ (hereafter shortened to “Tristram Shandy” is a unique novel written by British author Laurence Sterne in the eighteenth century. While Sterne’s contemporary readers may have conflicting viewpoints about the artistic value of “Tristram Shandy” because of its surface artlessness and chaos, readers today in the contexts of such twentieth-century critical theories as postmodernism, existentialism, and deconstruction, find it congenial and more intriguing. I argue that despite the apparent chaos of this novel, the author-narrator Tristram is a central consciousness that holds the whole work together. And I believe Sterne narrates his story in such a peculiar way in conformity to his own perception of the outside world. Specifically, this paper aims to explore the inventive narrative strategies employed in Sterne’s “Tristram Shandy” in the three aspects of narrative structure, time-shifting technique and self-conscious narrator. Amazingly, “Tristram Shandy” presents a wholly new notion of creative writing, one that goes beyond its time, and has unbreakable connection with twentieth-century literature.

  17. Cardiac rehabilitation patient's perspectives on the recovery following heart valve surgery: a narrative analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Tina Birgitte; Zwisler, Ann Dorthe Olsen; Kikkenborg Berg, Selina

    2016-01-01

    collected data over 18 months (April 2013-October 2014). We recruited nine patients undergoing heart valve surgery from a randomized trial, CopenHeartVR and conducted 27 individual narrative interviews at 2-3 weeks, 3-4 months and 8-9 months after surgery. FINDINGS: Following heart valve surgery...

  18. Narrative medicine in metastatic prostate cancer reveals ways to improve patient awareness & quality of care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vincentis, Giuseppe De; Monari, Fabio; Baldari, Sergio; Salgarello, Matteo; Frantellizzi, Viviana; Salvi, Elisabetta; Reale, Luigi; Napolitano, Silvia; Conti, Giario; Cortesi, Enrico

    2018-06-15

    To describe the journey of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in treatment with radium-223. A multiperspective analysis was performed using narrative medicine in four Italian centers. The substantial impact of mCRPC on quality of life through all phases of the disease was described. After an initial lack of awareness of the disease or denial of its effects, symptoms of pain, fatigue and side effects often led to sadness, fear and loneliness. The majority underwent radium-223 therapy positively, restoring their quality of life and routine activities. Using narrative medicine, the importance of a patient-centered approach in the pathway of care for patients with mCRPC through all the stages of the disease was highlighted.

  19. The importance of adult life-span perspective in explaining variations in political ideology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sedek, Grzegorz; Kossowska, Malgorzata; Rydzewska, Klara

    2014-06-01

    As a comment on Hibbing et al.'s paper, we discuss the evolution of political and social views from more liberal to more conservative over the span of adulthood. We show that Hibbing et al.'s theoretical model creates a false prediction from this developmental perspective, as increased conservatism in the adult life-span trajectory is accompanied by the avoidance of negative bias.

  20. Technology and manufacturing process selection the product life cycle perspective

    CERN Document Server

    Pecas, Paulo; Silva, Arlindo

    2014-01-01

    This book provides specific topics intending to contribute to an improved knowledge on Technology Evaluation and Selection in a Life Cycle Perspectives. Although each chapter will present possible approaches and solutions, there are no recipes for success. Each reader will find his/her balance in applying the different topics to his/her own specific situation. Case studies presented throughout will help in deciding what fits best to each situation, but most of all any ultimate success will come out of the interplay between the available solutions and the specific problem or opportunity the reader is faced with.

  1. LAND AND MORALITY IN A RURAL COMMUNITY: EMOTIVE LANGUAGE IN THE NARRATIVES OF THE PAST

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bužeková Tatiana

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available The paper presents the analysis of ethnographic research in a village in eastern Slovakia. My aim is to consider the narratives of people from countryside who witnessed socialist period and to present their view of land which they cultivated. I explore two sources: people’s life stories; and a local chronicle which was written during the 1960s. I argue that (1 both kinds of narratives serve as cultural tools for members of a collective as they recount the past in certain context; (2 in this, expression of moral emotions indicates narrative conventions related to social norms. I demonstrate that the semi-official context of the local chronicle demands expression of moral emotions in evaluation of the big-scale political events, but the chroniclers are rather cautious in assessment of local people’s behaviour. On the other side, in informal settings people summarize life periods using moral terms and freely express positive as well as negative attitudes toward other people and social conditions, to make sense of the past events in relation to the present time. Thus, the language of emotions indicates the specific narrative context as well as social rules. At the same time, emotional expressions should be read considering a narrator’s personality and social background; in this, the local historical and cultural setting is essential.

  2. Teaching about Narrative.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Davies, Gill

    1978-01-01

    Raises issues involved in the study and teaching of narrative, with reference to both literature and film. Considers the function of realism in narrative fiction and the teaching of theory and practice of those writers and filmmakers who have challenged the realist text by alternative strategies. (JMF)

  3. The effect of methylphenidate-OROS® on the narrative ability of children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

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    Tessa L. Rausch

    2017-02-01

    Method: In a single group off–on medication test design, narratives were obtained from 12 children with ADHD, aged 7–13 years, using wordless picture books. For microstructure, number of words, type–token ratio and mean length of utterance were derived from narrative samples using Systematic Analysis of Language Transcripts conventions. For macrostructure, the narratives were coded according to the Narrative Scoring Scheme, which includes seven narrative characteristics, as well as a composite score reflecting the child’s overall narrative ability. Results: The administration of MPH-OROS® resulted in a significant difference in certain aspects of language macrostructure: cohesion and overall narrative ability. Little effect was noted in microstructure elements. Conclusion: We observed a positive effect of stimulant medication on the macrostructure, but not on the microstructure, of narrative production. Although stimulant medication improves attention and concentration, it does not improve all aspects of language abilities in children with ADHD. Language difficulties associated with ADHD related to language content and use may be more responsive to stimulant medication than language form, which is likely to be affected by cascading effects of inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity beginning very early in life and to progress over a more protracted period. Therefore, a combination of treatments is advocated to ensure that children with ADHD are successful in reaching their full potential.

  4. Modeling biochemical transformation processes and information processing with Narrator

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    Palfreyman Niall M

    2007-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Software tools that model and simulate the dynamics of biological processes and systems are becoming increasingly important. Some of these tools offer sophisticated graphical user interfaces (GUIs, which greatly enhance their acceptance by users. Such GUIs are based on symbolic or graphical notations used to describe, interact and communicate the developed models. Typically, these graphical notations are geared towards conventional biochemical pathway diagrams. They permit the user to represent the transport and transformation of chemical species and to define inhibitory and stimulatory dependencies. A critical weakness of existing tools is their lack of supporting an integrative representation of transport, transformation as well as biological information processing. Results Narrator is a software tool facilitating the development and simulation of biological systems as Co-dependence models. The Co-dependence Methodology complements the representation of species transport and transformation together with an explicit mechanism to express biological information processing. Thus, Co-dependence models explicitly capture, for instance, signal processing structures and the influence of exogenous factors or events affecting certain parts of a biological system or process. This combined set of features provides the system biologist with a powerful tool to describe and explore the dynamics of life phenomena. Narrator's GUI is based on an expressive graphical notation which forms an integral part of the Co-dependence Methodology. Behind the user-friendly GUI, Narrator hides a flexible feature which makes it relatively easy to map models defined via the graphical notation to mathematical formalisms and languages such as ordinary differential equations, the Systems Biology Markup Language or Gillespie's direct method. This powerful feature facilitates reuse, interoperability and conceptual model development. Conclusion Narrator is a

  5. Thickening Thin Narratives: A Feminist Narrative Conceptualization of Male Anorexia Nervosa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David King

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to conceptualize a feminist narrative approach to male anorexia nervosa (MAN. Both narrative and feminist theories have been utilized to enrich the discourse of AN among women. An unintended result of this primary focus on women’s experiences has been a limited focus on the experiences of men with AN. This article will explore a contemporary social discourse on masculinity, why some men utilize AN as a means of attaining the ideals put forth through such discourse, and how a feminist narrative approach can be applied to working with men struggling with AN.

  6. The Transect as a Method for Mapping and Narrating Water Landscapes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Diedrich, Lisa; Lee, Gini; Braae, Ellen Marie

    2014-01-01

    In current urban design and landscape architecture practice, designers often address sites from static and material perspectives: as empty grounds where new design inventions are played out at the whim of their creators. Despite such design works claiming site specificity as their guide, generic...... outcomes that ignore or overlook local conditions abound, lacking response to ephemeral yet essential site properties such as temporal dynamics and atmospheric encounters. The focus of this NANO note seeks methods for site exploration to inform site transformation through representing the narrative...

  7. Dyadic fertility decisions in a life course perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bauer, Gerrit; Kneip, Thorsten

    2014-09-01

    This paper focuses on how couples arrive at joint decisions with regard to fertility behaviour. We build upon previous work on decision rules that couples might apply as heuristics in order to arrive at joint action in cases in which partners' fertility preferences differ. Previous research found either stronger effects of women's desires or symmetrical effects of both spouses' desires and net benefits associated with (further) children on proceptive behaviour. The latter finding is in line with the notion of household utility maximisation, in which both partners' preferences enter into a joint utility function with equal weight. On the other hand, some evidence indicates that one partner can exercise a 'veto' if he or she anticipates individual utility losses from a further child (due to opportunity costs arising in other life domains). We now enhance previous research by applying a life-course perspective. Our analysis makes use of variation in initial conditions due to previous births: couples decide on fertility in different situations as they find themselves in different life course stages and have had certain experiences. Parity-specific differences affect not only fertility outcomes but also the decision-making process itself. Our findings show that the decision to have a first child is made jointly, and each partner may exercise a veto. On the other hand, women appear to dominate decisions on higher parity births, not per se, but because they are (still) the ones more affected by the concomitant housework. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. In "Sociocultural In-Betweenness": Exploring Teachers' Translingual Identity Development through Narratives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ishihara, Noriko; Menard-Warwick, Julia

    2018-01-01

    In this article, we investigate second/foreign language teachers' translingual identity development through a narrative approach to their life histories. While several studies have investigated how teachers' intercultural experiences shape their identity formation and pedagogies, we explore not only the impact of teachers' identity on their…

  9. Optimal fleet conversion policy from a life cycle perspective

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hyung Chul Kim; Ross, M.H.; Keoleian, G.A.

    2004-01-01

    Vehicles typically deteriorate with accumulating mileage and emit more tailpipe air pollutants per mile. Although incentive programs for scrapping old, high-emitting vehicles have been implemented to reduce urban air pollutants and greenhouse gases, these policies may create additional sales of new vehicles as well. From a life cycle perspective, the emissions from both the additional vehicle production and scrapping need to be addressed when evaluating the benefits of scrapping older vehicles. This study explores an optimal fleet conversion policy based on mid-sized internal combustion engine vehicles in the US, defined as one that minimizes total life cycle emissions from the entire fleet of new and used vehicles. To describe vehicles' lifetime emission profiles as functions of accumulated mileage, a series of life cycle inventories characterizing environmental performance for vehicle production, use, and retirement was developed for each model year between 1981 and 2020. A simulation program is developed to investigate ideal and practical fleet conversion policies separately for three regulated pollutants (CO, NMHC, and NO x ) and for CO 2 . According to the simulation results, accelerated scrapping policies are generally recommended to reduce regulated emissions, but they may increase greenhouse gases. Multi- objective analysis based on economic valuation methods was used to investigate trade-offs among emissions of different pollutants for optimal fleet conversion policies. (author)

  10. Antecedents of Gray Divorce: A Life Course Perspective.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, I-Fen; Brown, Susan L; Wright, Matthew R; Hammersmith, Anna M

    2016-12-16

    Increasingly, older adults are experiencing divorce, yet little is known about the risk factors associated with divorce after age 50 (termed "gray divorce"). Guided by a life course perspective, our study examined whether key later life turning points are related to gray divorce. We used data from the 1998-2012 Health and Retirement Study to conduct a prospective, couple-level discrete-time event history analysis of the antecedents of gray divorce. Our models incorporated key turning points (empty nest, retirement, and poor health) as well as demographic characteristics and economic resources. Contrary to our expectations, the onset of an empty nest, the wife's or husband's retirement, and the wife's or husband's chronic conditions were unrelated to the likelihood of gray divorce. Rather, factors traditionally associated with divorce among younger adults were also salient for older adults. Marital duration, marital quality, home ownership, and wealth were negatively related to the risk of gray divorce. Gray divorce is especially likely to occur among couples who are socially and economically disadvantaged, raising new questions about the consequences of gray divorce for individual health and well-being. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

  11. Extinguishing All Hope: Life-without-Parole for Juveniles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Butler, Frank

    2010-01-01

    Sentencing juveniles to life-without-parole (JLWOP) is a practice fraught with ethical dilemmas. Through in-depth interviews with 11 men living sentences of JLWOP, their narratives of their backgrounds and experiences as juveniles were studied. Common themes were identified, and 3 general categories of cases emerged from the narratives. Ethical…

  12. A Comparison between Three Methods of Language Sampling: Freeplay, Narrative Speech and Conversation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasser Rezapour

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available Objectives: The spontaneous language sample analysis is an important part of the language assessment protocol. Language samples give us useful information about how children use language in the natural situations of daily life. The purpose of this study was to compare Conversation, Freeplay, and narrative speech in aspects of Mean Length of Utterance (MLU, Type-token ratio (TTR, and the number of utterances. Methods: By cluster sampling method, a total of 30 Semnanian five-year-old boys with normal speech and language development were selected from the active kindergartens in Semnan city. Conversation, Freeplay, and narrative speech were three applied language sample elicitation methods to obtain 15 minutes of children’s spontaneous language samples. Means for MLU, TTR, and the number of utterances are analyzed by dependent ANOVA. Results: The result showed no significant difference in number of elicited utterances among these three language sampling methods. Narrative speech elicited longer MLU than freeplay and conversation, and compared to freeplay and narrative speech, conversation elicited higher TTR. Discussion: Results suggest that in the clinical assessment of the Persian-language children, it is better to use narrative speech to elicit longer MLU and to use conversation to elicit higher TTR.

  13. Music as a manifestation of life: exploring enactivism and the 'eastern perspective' for music education.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van der Schyff, Dylan

    2015-01-01

    The enactive approach to cognition is developed in the context of music and music education. I discuss how this embodied point of view affords a relational and bio-cultural perspective on music that decentres the Western focus on language, symbol and representation as the fundamental arbiters of meaning. I then explore how this 'life-based' approach to cognition and meaning-making offers a welcome alternative to standard Western academic approaches to music education. More specifically, I consider how the enactive perspective may aid in developing deeper ecological understandings of the transformative, extended and interpenetrative nature of the embodied musical mind; and thus help (re)connect students and teachers to the lived experience of their own learning and teaching. Following this, I examine related concepts associated with Buddhist psychology in order to develop possibilities for a contemplative music pedagogy. To conclude, I consider how an enactive-contemplative perspective may help students and teachers awaken to the possibilities of music education as 'ontological education.' That is, through a deeper understanding of 'music as a manifestation of life' rediscover their primordial nature as autopoietic and world-making creatures and thus engage more deeply with musicality as a means of forming richer and more compassionate relationships with their peers, their communities and the 'natural' and cultural worlds they inhabit.

  14. Continuity and Change in Life Engagement Among People With Dementia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kuosa, Kirsti; Elstad, Ingunn; Normann, Hans Ketil

    2015-09-01

    The purpose of this study was to explore the change and continuity in the engagement in life of people with advanced dementia. The idea of meaningful activities is commonly used in nursing research, but few studies have been performed on what makes activities meaningful. This study aims to shed light on the meaning of activities in a life course context, changes in activity patterns due to dementia disease, and the significance of narratives told by close relatives. The 11 stories of activities were analyzed using thematic narrative analysis with Leontyev's activity theory as a theoretical framework. The findings revealed several types of changes: slow and abrupt changes in everyday and physical activities, changes in the person's level of awareness, and changes in habits in new care settings and environments. The meaningfulness of activities was connected to a person's background, his/her motives, lifestyle and identity, and the contextuality of activities. Through the narratives, nursing care personnel could acquire a nuanced picture of the person and his/her engagement in life. These narratives are vital to helping people who have dementia to keep up with meaningful activities and enhance their quality of life, especially when the person has deficiencies in communication. © The Author(s) 2014.

  15. Narrative, memory and social representations: a conversation between history and social psychology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jovchelovitch, Sandra

    2012-12-01

    This paper explores relations between narrative, memory and social representations by examining how social representations express the ways in which communities deal with the historical past. Drawing on a case study of social representations of the Brazilian public sphere, it shows how a specific narrative of origins re-invents history as a useful mythological resource for defending identity, building inter-group solidarity and maintaining social cohesion. Produced by a time-travelling dialogue between multiple sources, this historical narrative is functional both to transform, to stabilise and give resilience to specific social representations of public life. The Brazilian case shows that historical narratives, which tend to be considered as part of the stable core of representational fields, are neither homogenous nor consensual but open polyphasic platforms for the construction of alternative, often contradictory, representations. These representations do not go away because they are ever changing and situated, recruit multiple ways of thinking and fulfil functions of identity, inter-group solidarity and social cohesion. In the disjunction between historiography and the past as social representation are the challenges and opportunities for the dialogue between historians and social psychologists.

  16. Children's Cognitive and Affective Responses About a Narrative Versus a Non-Narrative Cartoon Designed for an Active Videogame.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fernandes Davies, Vanessa; Mafra, Rafaella; Beltran, Alicia; Baranowski, Thomas; Lu, Amy Shirong

    2016-04-01

    This article presents the results of interviews conducted with children regarding their cognitive and affective responses toward a narrative and a non-narrative cartoon. The findings will be used to further explore the role of a narrative in motivating continued active videogame play. Twenty children (8-11 years old of mixed gender) watched two cartoons (narrative and non-narrative) and were subsequently interviewed. A thematic matrix was used to analyze the interviews. The narrative cartoon (n = 11) was only slightly preferred compared with the non-narrative one (n = 9), with little difference among the participants. The theme categories identified during the analyses were plot, characters, and suggestions. The fight scenes were mentioned by the children as a likeable aspect of the narrative cartoon. In the non-narrative cartoon, the vast majority (n = 17) liked the information about physical activity that was provided. The children enjoyed the appearance and personalities of the characters in both cartoons. A discrepancy in the data about the fight scenes (narrative cartoon) and characters (both cartoons) was found among the female participants (i.e., some girls did not like the fight and thought the characters were too aggressive). However, most of the children wanted to see more action in the story, an increase in the number of fight scenes (narrative cartoon), or more information about exercise and examples of exercises they could do (non-narrative cartoon). They also suggested adding a game to the non-narrative cartoon, including more characters, and improving the animation in both cartoons. The children preferred the narrative cartoon because of the story and the fight. Some gender differences were found, which further studies should investigate.

  17. Brief narration on the bioagrocombustibles

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arenas F, Javier F.

    2010-01-01

    All human society has depended on the energy to subsist and to evolve. Because of this, the industrial revolution can be seen as the result of an environmental crisis after the deforestation in Europe. Nevertheless,at the present time, petroleum is expending so that there have appeared alternative to maintain the energetic system that the world has being using since the XVIII century. The present text exposes arguments that have been raised so much to defend their implementation as a dedicated industry that will produce bioagrocombustibles, like those employees against it. For these expositions the author uses different perspectives, like the economic, political, legal and physical. It is a narration in first person of the Sun, as well as of the human conscience that exposes the mentioned arguments and intents a different approach, less technician, to a problematic that concerns to all the people of the planet.

  18. [Discourses about health risk behaviour and the moralization of the everyday life].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bagrichevsky, Marcos; Castiel, Luis David; Vasconcellos-Silva, Paulo Roberto; Estevão, Adriana

    2010-06-01

    The text analyses critically the polarity between discourses about healthy life styles and the sedentariness in the context of new technologies for health information research and dissemination. We argue that the techno-scientific rationality has grown an 'economy of trues' which, on the perspective of conducting to safe life styles, has prescribed a normative ideal of self discipline which tends to generate distress and consumerism of artifacts of burning calories. In the hegemonic production of systems of truth, sedentariness has been seen as a kind of unhealthy behavior that is ranked as moral failure. Emphasis is given about the multiple discourses embracing life styles and risk, taken as biopolitics devices imbricated in the communication processes in health, which has to be lightened up for their ethics and politics implications. The spectacularization of life styles associated to the consumption and the production of narratives that have badly influenced our culture, making bigger the distance of a socially possible notion of health. We discussed the regulatory essence of such a symbolic reference in the construction of knowledge systems that have been (re)defined what is to be healthy, normal and unhealthy.

  19. Identity-related autobiographical memories and cultural life scripts in patients with Borderline Personality Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jørgensen, Carsten René; Berntsen, Dorthe; Bech, Morten; Kjølbye, Morten; Bennedsen, Birgit E; Ramsgaard, Stine B

    2012-06-01

    Disturbed identity is one of the defining characteristics of Borderline Personality Disorder manifested in a broad spectrum of dysfunctions related to the self, including disturbances in meaning-generating self-narratives. Autobiographical memories are memories of personal events that provide crucial building-blocks in our construction of a life-story, self-concept, and a meaning-generating narrative identity. The cultural life script represents culturally shared expectations as to the order and timing of life events in a prototypical life course within a given culture. It is used to organize one's autobiographical memories. Here, 17 BPD-patients, 14 OCD-patients, and 23 non-clinical controls generated three important autobiographical memories and their conceptions of the cultural life script. BPD-patients reported substantially more negative memories, fewer of their memories were of prototypical life script events, their memory narratives were less coherent and more disoriented, and the overall typicality of their life scripts was lower as compared with the other two groups. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. L1-L2 Transfer in the Narrative Styles of Chinese EFL Learners' Written Personal Narratives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Su, I-Ru; Chou, Yi-Chun

    2016-01-01

    Most of the research on second language (L2) narratives has focused on whether or how L2 learners carry their L1 narrative styles into L2 narration; few studies have explored whether L2 learners' knowledge of the L2 also in turn affects their L1 narrative performance. The present study attempted to probe the issue of cultural transfer in narrative…