Descriptive Phenomenological Analysis Research Articles

Involvement as inclusion? Shared decision-making in social work practice in Israel: a qualitative account.

Shared decision-making (SDM), a representation of shared knowledge and power between social workers and their clients, is gaining popularity and prevalence in social services around the world. In many senses, SDM reflects values traditionally associated with social work and service provision, such as equality and anti-discrimination. In the complex context of social problem-solving, however, the relationship between SDM, social workers and their clients is multi-faceted and deserves particular attention. The current study examined SDM and the dilemmas it entails through interviews conducted in 2012 with 77 Israeli social workers and policy makers whose responses were analysed according to the guiding principles of descriptive phenomenological content analysis and dialogical commonality. Participants' responses represent notions of hope, change, identity and choice. Findings are discussed in correspondence with current and recent trends in Israeli social services, and the social work profession in Israel.

Parenting experiences in elite youth football: A phenomenological study

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of parents of elite specializing stage youth footballers. DesignA descriptive phenomenological approach guided the study design. MethodsData from interviews with five mothers and five fathers of youth players registered to English football academies were analysed using descriptive phenomenological analysis (Giorgi, 2009). ResultsThree essences characterized the phenomenon of being a parent of an elite youth footballer: parent socialization into elite youth football culture; enhanced parental identity; and increased parental responsibility. Parents' socialization into the football academy culture was facilitated by their interaction with coaches and parent peers, highlighting the social nature of parenting. Being the parent of a child identified as talented meant that parents experienced enhanced status and a heightened responsibility to facilitate his development. Although parents were compelled to support their son in football, their instinct to protect their child meant they experienced uncertainty regarding the commitment required to play at an academy, given the potential for negative consequences. Together, these findings illustrate that parents experienced a transition as their son progressed into the specialization stage of football. We postulate that formal recognition of a child as talented contributed to this transition, and that knowledge of sport and perception of the parent–child relationship shaped how parents adapted. ConclusionsThis study provides a new way of understanding the psychological phenomena of parenting in elite youth football. Implications for practitioners working with parents in sport are provided.

Balancing Life with an Increased Risk of Cancer: Lived Experiences in Healthy Individuals with Lynch Syndrome

Possibilities to undergo predictive genetic testing for cancer have expanded, which implies that an increasing number of healthy individuals will learn about cancer predisposition. Knowledge about how an increased risk of disease influences life in a long-term perspective is largely unknown, which led us to explore lived experiences in healthy mutation carriers with Lynch syndrome. Individual interviews were subjected to descriptive phenomenological analysis. Four constitutions, namely, family context, interpretation and transformation, approach to risk and balancing life at risk were identified and formed the essence of the phenomenon "living with knowledge about risk." Family context influences how experiences and knowledge are interpreted and transformed into thoughts and feelings, which relates to how risk is approached and handled. The constitutions influence each other in a dynamic relationship and create a balancing act between anxiety and worry and feelings of being safe and in control.

A phenomenology of university service quality experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the complex nature of perceived quality by employing a phenomenological study to understand the meaning of University Service Quality (USQ) as experienced by the business undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a phenomenological study to understand the meaning of USQ from the undergraduate students’ perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 business undergraduates from public universities, local private universities and a foreign branch campus in Malaysia. Data gathered were analysed using the procedure suggested by Colaizzi (1978) for descriptive phenomenological analysis. Findings – From the qualitative data, the essential structure of the USQ experience was constructed based on five major themes which are “USQ as a luxury”, “USQ as citizenship rights”, “USQ as nurturing apprentices”, “USQ as administrative relief” and “USQ as utility consumption”. The findings suggest that students’ service quality experiences could be understood as a multi-faceted phenomenon with students expressing context-dependent service expectations and outcomes. Practical implications – The outcome of the paper highlights the nature of students’ expectations which may vary according to service contexts, and their perception of self. Therefore, an integrated effort in various service domains is necessary to enhance service quality experience in higher education. Originality/value – Although previously explored by Dabholkar et al. (1996) in the retail services, the phenomenological-based methodology is rather uncommon in the service quality inquiry, particularly in the higher education context. The insights gathered from the phenomenological study provided access to understanding some persistent issues in USQ such as standards of expectations and perceived role by students in the higher education.

The Burdens On Caregivers Of Patients Above 65 Years Old Receiving Hemodialysis: A Qualitative Study

Background: End-stage renal failure is a chronic disease routinely treated with hemodialysis. Hemodialysis is the disease’s only available treatment in Jordan; it is a life-long treatment that imposes burdens on patients and their caregivers. Most patients have unpaid family caregivers who do a variety of tasks and so become increasingly burdened, occupied with those tasks, and unable to participate in activities of interest to them. Aim: The goal of this study is to explore the experience of caregivers of patients 65 years and older receiving hemodialysis in order to understand the burdens of this specific population. Methods: The study subjects were the caregivers of patients who received outpatient hemodialysis at one outpatient hemodialysis center in the capital city of Amman, Jordan. A total number of nine caregivers were included in the study. The caregivers’ ages ranged from 35 to 65, averaging 50 years old, but the patients were above 65 years old. An interview guide with semi-structured questions and Colaizzi's strategy of descriptive phenomenological data analysis were used. Result: The majority of caregiver subjects reported social isolation, health problems, and little time for self-care. Factors alleviating caregiver burdens included faith in God, participating in religious practices and venting of feelings. Conclusions: Identification of caregiver burdens and of coping strategies should help healthcare professionals understand the caregivers’ burdens and identify their needs by patients receiving hemodialysis to relieve their psychosocial and physical burdens.

Lived experiences of ageing and later life in older people with intellectual disabilities

ABSTRACTThe aim of this article is to explore how older people with intellectual disability (ID), who live in group accommodation, describe their lived experience in relation to ageing and later life. The article is based on a study with a phenomenological approach, grounded on the concept of life-world. Individual, qualitative interviews were conducted with 12 people with ID (five men, seven women), between the ages of 48 and 71 (mean=64), who lived in four different group accommodation units in southern Sweden. A descriptive phenomenological analysis method was used, which disclosed a structure consisting of themes and sub-themes. The findings of the study reveal the informants' lived experience of ageing and later life as a multifaceted phenomenon, expressed through the two themes, ‘age as a process of change’ and ‘existential aspects of ageing’, each with three sub-themes. The body is an essential element in their experience of ageing and growing old, and in how this experience is expressed. The study also found social, cultural and historical dimensions of the life-world to be important in the informants' experience of ageing and later life. This supports understanding of the existence of a collective life-world for older people with ID, the unique experiences the informants share because of their disability and its consequences for their lifecourse.

Considering DSM-5: The Personal Experience of Schizophrenia in Relation to the DSM-IV-TR Criteria

Previous analyses have suggested that the personal experience of schizophrenia might be different from its depiction in the DSM-IV-TR. In this study, 17 people with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder were interviewed about their experiences of the DSM-IV-TR diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. Descriptive phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the ways in which the personal experiences of the people in this study were similar to or different from the depiction of schizophrenia in the DSM-IV-TR. The personal experience of schizophrenia was similar in some way to each of the five diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. Participants’ personal experiences also went beyond the DSM-IV-TR criteria. Specifically, participants described strong emotional reactions to their symptoms, including fear, sadness, embarrassment, and alienation. Also, participants described intense interest but severe disruptions in goal-directed behavior due to their hallucinations being engrossing, confusing, and distracting. Further, participants described not sharing their experiences in order to avoid social stigma. These findings suggest that the description of schizophrenia in DSM-5 may benefit from a change to DSM-IV-TR criteria to incorporate more of the personal experience of schizophrenia. Further research is needed to establish the representativeness, reliability, and validity of the qualitative findings described here.

My Baby Bird - Living With Type 1 Diabetes: A Phenomenological Analysis

“This is a life-changing experience for all of us. You have one child with diabetes and your whole family has diabetes” (Isenberger, 2009, p. 134). More than two million Canadians have diabetes; 10% live with type 1 diabetes, involving the pancreas not being able to produce insulin (Canadian Diabetes Association, 2009). The incidence of type 1 diabetes is greater than has previously been described (Karvonen et al, 2000). One longitudinal phenomenological study used interviews for data collection to uncover family members’ lived experiences when their children (aged 9-14) were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes (Wennick & Hallstrom, 2006, 2007; Wennick, Lundqvist, & Hallström, 2009). Interestingly, Balfe (2009) wrote, “young adults with type 1 diabetes are a “forgotten group” (p. 128). The purpose of our ongoing phenomenological research is to explore the experiences of young adults and their family members. We are having challenges recruiting potential participants (individuals and their family members) to write about and email their experiences living with or having a young adult member who lives with type 1 diabetes; however, we have one description of a lived experience written by a young adult which is so eloquent, that we wanted to share it with others. We have completed a Giorgi (2009; Giorgi & Giorgi, 2003) descriptive phenomenological analysis guided by the humanbecoming theory for nurses (Parse, 1998) and have related the findings to the literature. This paper includes a moving metaphorical illustration about what it is like for one young adult to live with type 1 diabetes.

‘It started when I barked once when I was licking his boots!’: a descriptive phenomenological study of the everyday experience of BDSM

Traditionally, psychologists have researched bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism (BDSM) and its participants from an external perspective, seeing it as pathology. However, there is now a growing body of research aiming to challenge this perspective. This article examines some of the ways BDSM has been reconceptualised by researchers who reject the pathological focus, distinguishing between transgressive and coercive sexualities. We focus on the lived experience of BDSM participation to further illuminate these sexual practices. A descriptive phenomenological analysis of four interview transcripts was employed, with the purpose of producing a general structural experience of BDSM participation, which aims to further understanding of this complex phenomenon. The essential structures of the BDSM experience are discussed in terms of authentic fantasy, rejection of social norms and non-sexual positive outcomes.

Personal and environmental factors encouraging or preventing healthy lifestyle behaviours among Persian couples: a phenomenological investigation

Objective: The aim of this study was to qualitatively assess the socio‐culturally and religion‐driven lived experiences before, during and after pregnancy from Persian men and women’s perspectives using descriptive phenomenological analysis. This study also assessed the application of components of socio‐cognitive theory on couples’ lifestyle behaviours. Background: Social and cultural influences on preconception, pregnancy and postnatal behaviours of women have been acknowledged in the research literature, but remain under‐studied in men and in countries driven by strong religious and cultural influences. Methods: A descriptive phenomenological approach was employed using 16 participants (8 male and 8 female), recruited from an Obstetric Hospital Clinic in Iran. Data were analysed by means of thematic content analysis. Results: Five major themes were identified, incorporating positive and negative dimensions to enhancing healthy pre‐ and perinatal lifestyle behaviours: access to information regarding lifestyles; external obstacles to healthy lifestyle behaviours; personal constraints; factors influencing quality of life; and factors encouraging healthy lifestyles. Conclusion: Analysis revealed that lifestyle behaviours before, during and after pregnancy were influenced by a number of interrelating factors involving personal, socio‐cultural/environmental and psychological variables, with cultural norms prevailing over Western medical advice. These findings may inform culturally diverse health care systems and be useful in formulating recommendations for policies to improve future quality of care.

A Phenomenological Investigation of Altruism as Experienced by Moral Exemplars

AbstractThis research study used descriptive phenomenological methods (Giorgi, 1989, Methods, 1, 39-61) to investigate and document the lived experience of altruism as described by moral exemplars. Six moral exemplars wrote descriptions of situations in which they engaged in spontaneous altruism. Altruism was defined for the purpose of this study as a motivational state with the ultimate goal of increasing another's welfare (Batson, 1991, The altruism question: Toward a social psychological answer). These descriptions were then expanded and clarified through follow up interviews. The results of this descriptive phenomenological analysis produced two structures: the structure of the lived experience of altruism as described by moral exemplars, and the structure of the lived experience of helping as described by moral exemplars. The differences between these two structures suggest that altruistically motivated pro-social behavior is more committed, extensive and effective than egoistically motivated helping, and results in a higher level of concern for the long-term well-being of the individuals helped. Although differentiated by primary motivations, altruistic or egoistic, both structures identify the motivating factors of empathy, personal historical life experiences, moral values, and personal identity as essential to the experience of assisting another individual in need.