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Searching for a Normal Life: Personal Accounts of Adults With Schizophrenia, Their Parents and Well‐Siblings
Author(s) -
Stein Catherine H.,
Wemmerus Virginia A.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
american journal of community psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.113
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1573-2770
pISSN - 0091-0562
DOI - 10.1023/a:1010465117848
Subject(s) - schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , psychology , family member , perspective (graphical) , health psychology , family life , developmental psychology , life course approach , psychiatry , public health , medicine , sociology , family medicine , gender studies , nursing , artificial intelligence , computer science
Using a life course perspective, the research examines personal accounts of adults with schizophrenia, and their parents and well‐siblings from six families. Accounts of multiple members of the same family, including the family member with schizophrenia, are used to describe how families understand and accommodate life changes that result from the illness. Families describe the loss of a “normal life” as one of the most devastating aspects of schizophrenia. We present the personal and social losses described by adults with schizophrenia and their well family members, and document families' search for ways that their ill family member can achieve or maintain valued social roles. The concerns of well family members for the future of the ill family member and ways families contemplate transfer of care issues are described. Implications of the study for community research and action are discussed.