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An exploration of the meaning of productivity in non-working men with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

University of British Columbia

The purpose of this study is to enhance the body'ofi knowledge that has been developed concerning the lives of non-working young men who have schizophrenia. It is concerned with how these men experience activities that constitute productive endeavors within the context of their lives given that they are not performing traditionally defined productive activities such as employment, education or volunteer work: Adhering to a narrative approach, a semi-structured interview was used to assist five men in telling their stories of productivity. Content and thematic analysis was used to explore the influence of their experiences on their personal meanings of productivity and how these meanings have affected their behavior. The relevance of this information to occupational therapy was also explored. The most significant theme was that of the. men performing a precarious balancing act of trying not get sick (have a relapse) .by working to occupy themselves and yet not become too stressed. Staying well was seen as the most important goal in their lives. Going from place to place, doing a number of activities, accomplishing a task and their faith in God were all seen as effective strategies to achieve this end.

Thesis/Dissertation

application/pdf

2009-08-19

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/12357

Rehabilitation Sciences

University of British Columbia

UBCV

DSpace