Open AccessAn Exploration of Positive Identity Development in Women Living with Chronic Pain
Author(s) -
Hillary Sharpe,
Kevin G. Alderson,
Sandra Collins
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the qualitative report
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2160-3715
DOI - 10.46743/2160-3715/2013.1533
Subject(s) - phenomenology (philosophy) , chronic pain , hermeneutic phenomenology , identity (music) , psychology , qualitative research , interpretative phenomenological analysis , psychology of self , lived experience , sociology , psychotherapist , social psychology , psychiatry , epistemology , aesthetics , social science , philosophy
We explored the concept of living positively with chronic pain using a mixed - methods design that relied primarily on hermeneutic phenomenology. Ten women described their experiences of developing a positive identity while contending with chronic pain. Throughout their journeys, the women interviewed experienced a number of key themes including: the sense of being separate from their bodies, the failure of the biomedical system, and the creation of support networks. Three major categories emerged from the data: (a) Before Diagnosis , (b) Redefinition of Self, and (c) Moving Forward. The implications for healthcare providers and the limitations of this study are discussed.