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The lived experience of fathers of young adult children with schizophrenia Wiens, Sandra Ellen
Abstract
A qualitative phenomenological research method was used to explore and describe the lived experience of six fathers of young adult children with schizophrenia who volunteered to participate in this study. The following six themes emerged from the analysis of these fathers' stories through the seven steps of phenomenological analysis outlined by Colaizzi (1978): reflection on roles and responsibilities, a sense of devastation and vulnerability, a sense of sadness and loss, a sense of frustration with the mental health system, a sense of admiration for their child, and a sense of having gained personally. The findings of the study indicated that reflection on their early roles and responsibilities as fathers before the onset of their child's illness helped the participants in this study make meaning of the roles and responsibilities they assumed as their child's illness progressed. The participants experienced a sense of devastation and vulnerability when their child received the diagnosis of schizophrenia, as they began to face the realities of living with a child with schizophrenia, and especially when dealing with crisis situations. They also experienced a sense of sadness and loss. Five kinds of losses were described: loss of who their child once was, loss of their child's potential to be productive, loss of dreams for their child's future, loss experienced in fathers' present lives, as well as loss of hopes and dreams for their own future. A sense of frustration was reported in response to various aspects of the mental health system. Two additional themes emerged from the analysis of the participants' stories that were not reported as themes in previous studies: a sense of admiration for their child and a sense of having gained personally. The study concludes with a discussion of implications for counselling practice, implications for mental health policy, as well as implications for future research.
Item Metadata
Title |
The lived experience of fathers of young adult children with schizophrenia
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Creator | |
Publisher |
University of British Columbia
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Date Issued |
2005
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Description |
A qualitative phenomenological research method was used to explore and describe
the lived experience of six fathers of young adult children with schizophrenia who
volunteered to participate in this study. The following six themes emerged from the analysis
of these fathers' stories through the seven steps of phenomenological analysis outlined by
Colaizzi (1978): reflection on roles and responsibilities, a sense of devastation and
vulnerability, a sense of sadness and loss, a sense of frustration with the mental health
system, a sense of admiration for their child, and a sense of having gained personally.
The findings of the study indicated that reflection on their early roles and
responsibilities as fathers before the onset of their child's illness helped the participants in
this study make meaning of the roles and responsibilities they assumed as their child's
illness progressed. The participants experienced a sense of devastation and vulnerability
when their child received the diagnosis of schizophrenia, as they began to face the realities
of living with a child with schizophrenia, and especially when dealing with crisis situations.
They also experienced a sense of sadness and loss. Five kinds of losses were described:
loss of who their child once was, loss of their child's potential to be productive, loss of
dreams for their child's future, loss experienced in fathers' present lives, as well as loss of
hopes and dreams for their own future. A sense of frustration was reported in response to
various aspects of the mental health system. Two additional themes emerged from the
analysis of the participants' stories that were not reported as themes in previous studies: a
sense of admiration for their child and a sense of having gained personally. The study
concludes with a discussion of implications for counselling practice, implications for mental
health policy, as well as implications for future research.
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Genre | |
Type | |
Language |
eng
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Date Available |
2009-12-16
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Provider |
Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
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Rights |
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.
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DOI |
10.14288/1.0053805
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URI | |
Degree | |
Program | |
Affiliation | |
Degree Grantor |
University of British Columbia
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Graduation Date |
2005-11
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Campus | |
Scholarly Level |
Graduate
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Aggregated Source Repository |
DSpace
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Item Media
Item Citations and Data
Rights
For non-commercial purposes only, such as research, private study and education. Additional conditions apply, see Terms of Use https://open.library.ubc.ca/terms_of_use.