Personal Journey Research Articles

Parents’ Journeys of Mastery and Knowledge Construction After Their Infant’s First Stage of Surgery for Complex Congenital Heart Disease

ABSTRACT Background A growing body of conceptual evidence over the last decade has increased our understanding of parents’ experiences of having an infant with complex congenital heart disease. These concepts include parents’ feelings of uncertainty, fear, excitement, and mastery. However, little is known about parents’ experiences, confidence, and knowledge acquisition during transition from hospital to home with their infant after the first stage of complex cardiac surgery. A theoretical framework to assess, plan and implement child and family centered care would assist children’s cardiac nurses responsible for parental education, discharge planning and coordination. Aim To explore parents’ experiences of the transition from hospital to home with their infant, following the first stage of cardiac surgery. Design A prospective mixed methods longitudinal design. Semi-structured interviews were undertaken, including administration of the Maternal Confidence Questionnaire at four timepoints: before discharge following stage one cardiac surgery (T0), 2 weeks’ post discharge (T1), 8 weeks’ post discharge (T2) and after stage two surgery (T3). Qualitative data were thematically analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize the sample and non-parametric repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyze changes over time in maternal confidence scores. Results Sixteen parents of 12 infants participated. Four “patterns of transition experience” emerged, the fourth “Mastery”, is discussed in this paper. Mastery can be contextualized in terms of the parents’ journeys of knowledge construction, gaining confidence and reflection. Learning was dynamic and transformational, but successful learning and acquisition of knowledge was also dependent upon the parents’ ability to absorb, integrate and adjust at any given time. Confidence at T0 was significantly lower than at T1 (p = .011), T2 (p = .018) and T3 (p = .012). There were no significant differences between scores at T1, T2 and T3. Liminality, as a concept, described the between and betwixt time that parents experienced as they were preparing for discharge from hospital; excitement to be going home balanced with the fear of being alone and confidence in looking after their fragile infant. Conclusion Parents of infants with complex congenital heart disease obtain knowledge, confidence, and mastery dependent upon their transition experience and their personal journey through pre-liminal, liminal, and post-liminal phases of discharge from hospital to home. A conceptual framework “Parenting through Transitions – hospital to home” emerged that could assist in structuring assessment of parents’ knowledge and support needs within a coordinated discharge process. Identifying individualized support would promote adaptation and adjustment during transition from the pre to post liminal phase, following their infant’s first stage of complex cardiac surgery.

Being of deep transformations: A personal journey inspired by Clive L. Spash

The works of Clive L. Spash provided inspiration to many. In the case of my own theoretical and philosophical journey, Spash's social-ecological economics became an important grounding. However, apart from directing this journey, his works have been a major influence in another domain: the domain of my personal being in and relating with the world. This paper explicates this side of Spash's influence. The paper's roots specifically go back to Spash’s work on new foundations for ecological economics and the invitation he extended to his fellow humans to act personally and consistently with one's environmental and social values. Far from glorifying the mode of being, here referred to as being of deep transformations, I aim to draw others’ attention to the challenges and constraints.

Postmemory and Hybridity in Ariel Sabar’s My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Father’s Past

In his memoir, My Father’s Paradise: A Son’s Search for His Father’s Past (2009), Ariel Sabar narrates the story of his father and how he has survived a double exile. In and through his memoir, Sabar aimed to explore his father’s lost past and his own connection to this past. However, in this exploration, Sabar uncovers a greater history, transforming his personal journey of self-discovery into a quest to resurrect the lost history of Jewish Kurds, a “unique diasporic ethnic group” in the Middle East (Bahar Basher and Duygun Atlas, “Once a Diaspora, Always a Diaspora? The Ethnic, Cultural and Political Mobilization of Kurdistani Jews in Israel.” Politics, Religion Ideology 22, nos. 3–4 (2021): 302–328, 2021). Drawing on Marianne Hirsch’s concept of postmemory, this article introduces Ariel Sabar’s as the postmemory of Jewish Kurds. More significantly, it argues for the diasporic and hybrid nature of this work of postmemory, as well as its multidirectionality as a work of memory. This hybridity—of cultural identity, sense of place and belonging, as well as memory—can be traced back to Sabar’s inherited history within the Jewish Kurdish context, transmitted over place, time, and generation. Also, relying on cultural studies, diaspora studies and mobility studies, this article reveals how the identity of Sabar’s father, and his subsequent generations, bear markers of different ­cultural belonging and senses of place(s) due to the multiple “uprootings and regroundings” they have experienced over time.

The Art of Teaching-Learning the Humanbecoming Paradigm.

In this column, the author argues that art, literary, visual, and performing should be requisite concepts in nurse curricula, and describes her personal journey teaching-learning the humanbecoming paradigm.

Structural Existential Analysis (SEA) – A step-by-step guide for application to research

Context & FocusThe field of existential research is gently growing, yet currently relies on methods rooted in other psychological approaches. In 2014, Deurzen introduced her innovative phenomenological research method entitled: Structural Existential Analysis (SEA). SEA is increasingly being used as a secondary layer of analysis within qualitative research, yet few have applied SEA as an outright method before now. This paper expands upon the original SEA foundations to provide a clear, empirically supported 8-step guide for the application of SEA as an outright research method. The researcher’s personal existential journey and their subjective use of philosophical heuristic models are considered. Resources for immersion into global existential philosophies are provided, moving beyond the prevailing Eurocentric sources to enrich the depth of insights available within the researcher’s project and wider disciplinary field.ConclusionStructural Existential Analysis (SEA) can be used as a stand-alone method of analysis for qualitative research. Unparalleled by existing research methods, this step-by-step application of SEA enables researchers to achieve a level of existential depth throughout their research journey moving beyond the prevailing Eurocentric contributions, advocates the importance of the human behind the research, supports the researcher’s creativity and intuition within the research process, and provides resources for personal reflexivity and self-development. Positioned towards novice and qualified researchers, this step-by-step guide offers a foundation for conducting ethical, empirically valid, and replicable lived-experience research.

Memory studies and design? The mnemotopic approach

At the beginning of the fourth wave of memory studies, the relationship with design appears poorly explored, although the memory project is fundamental for the contemporary and interdisciplinary past reframing. From this perspective, the article proposes an intrinsic but not yet evident link between memory studies and communication design for the territory, a young discipline that has taken up the “stratified place” as its own specific dimension, focusing on its valorization and visual translation. This novel connection is highlighted by the mnemotopic approach in which place and memory coexist in a unique meaning formation, supporting the remembrance of the territorial experience. Through a lexical transfer of the term mnemotope, generally used in other fields of knowledge (e.g. cultural anthropology), to design, it becomes a performative concept integrated into processes and artifacts as an active part of project development. The mnemotope as a plural object of territorial interpretation, sailing from Nora’s lieux de memoire, passing through Assmann’s cultural memory reflections, and landing in communication design, can be adopted as an alternative interpretative criterion that not only proposes a resematization of the memory of places but can be considered as a real medium for exploring the past that can also operate on a didactic level by being included in experimental design courses. In this context, the article will show how the mnemotopic approach has been developed during my personal doctoral journey and pedagogically implemented by the DCxT research group of the Design Department of Politecnico di Milano.

It’s not all black and white: A text analysis of racially diverse versus legacy superheroes in Marvel and DC Comics

Comic-book publishers have responded to growing racial diversity by strategically creating multicultural superheroes to diversify their publishing lines. While extant research has examined representation and broader-level themes surrounding diverse heroes, limited research has focused on the story text in diverse titles. This is the first study to explore and analyse the story text to uncover themes in diverse versus legacy superhero comics. Through a Leximancer text analysis of superhero comic books from Marvel and DC Comics, this study (1) identifies the prominent themes exuded in legacy titles versus diversity titles, (2) examines the cultural authenticity of the themes, and (3) compares the themes with those in past research. Identifying the different themes and their authenticity is critical for creators and marketers appealing to diverse segments, who now represent 19 per cent of consumer spending in the USA. Findings indicate varying themes across diverse and legacy superhero comics. Diverse comics focus on time struggles between superhero-ing and school, family and home. Legacy comics evoke themes of mastering time and space and then returning home. In contrasting Marvel and DC diverse superhero comics, Marvel themes focus more on the personal journey of the hero from doubt to confidence, while DC themes focus on the resilience of the heroes in their downtrodden neighbourhoods. In comparing these themes with themes identified in past content analyses, there is similarity and authenticity. The paper concludes with strategic implications pertinent to cultural marketing and media representation and inclusion. Marketers trying to reach diverse segments must continue to present diverse youth with authentic stories developed by credible creators. They may also move beyond common themes to those embodying greater empowerment.

Stress Management: Concept, Approaches, and Analysis

Purpose: Enhance well-being; acquire adaptive decision-making skills; Relationship breakdown, mental health enhancement, and unemployment problem-solving are all focus areas. Design/Methodology/Approach: Secondary data for this study came from a wide range of places, such as case studies, books, periodicals, journals, articles, and online searches. Findings/Results: Stress has many facets, both in terms of its causes and its effects. It’s more of a personal journey than a general truth to determine what helps you cope with pressure. The client will be taught techniques for dealing with every day and unexpected tension sources. Cognitive and behavioral strategies are helpful for stress management. Mindfulness-based stress reduction therapies have received much research and attention recently. Due to its association with numerous diseases, stress management is paramount. Outcome: The outcomes include the concept of stress management, various stages of stress and how to overcome the stress, the causes and effects of individual stress, the management of stress effectively through the use of cognitive behavioral techniques, and how to use mindfulness-based interventions for stress management. Originality/Values: This research sheds light on the many sources of stress in the lives of humans, including but not limited to increased workload, increased risk of physical and mental illness, and strategies for coping with stress at different levels. How one chooses to spend one’s life determines the particular sources of stress that they will face. Type of Paper: Literature review

‘It’s like an opportunity for me to have freedom and to move forward with my life’: Experiences of youth engaging in education and employment after a first episode of psychosis

ABSTRACT Background Many youth experiencing first-episode psychosis face more academic and vocational challenges than their peers. Yet few studies have explored the perspectives of youth who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) following psychosis and contrasted these with those of their counterparts engaged in education and/or employment. To address this gap, this study explored personal journeys of (re-)engaging in education and employment after psychosis. Methods Using a descriptive qualitative design, grounded in self-determination theory, in-depth interviews were conducted with individuals receiving services at an early intervention program for psychosis. Eight youth who were NEET and six who were working/in education participated. Results The analysis produced three themes that were salient to both youth with psychosis who were NEET and those in work/school: relatedness or the importance of belonging and being cared for; perceived competence; and a desire for a sense of autonomy. The themes, aligned with the self-determination theory, showed youths negotiating their decision to (re-)engage in education and employment. Discussion Engaging in education and employment seems part of a larger process that draws on significant past experiences and the envisioned future self. Efforts targeting vocational functioning are best situated in understandings of identity, recovery, and psychological needs.

Peringatan Untuk Tidak Murtad Berdasarkan Ibrani 5 : 11-14

This article explores Hebrews 5:11-14 as the main source for understanding the warning against apostasy in the Christian context. Through a text exegesis approach, this article outlines the key messages contained in the article, focusing on the threat of apostasy and the importance of maintaining the faith. In addition, this article also explores the relevance of this warning in the context of modern spiritual life and how this message can provide guidance for people. believe to strengthen and maintain their faith. By detailing the cultural and theological context of Hebrews S-11-14 this article provides deep insight into the urgency of the warning against apostasy and invites readers to reflect on its significance in their personal journey of faith

From fixer to facilitator: an interpretative phenomenological study of diabetes person-centred counselling and empowerment-based education.

The purpose of this study is to explore the professional and personal experiences of multidisciplinary healthcare professionals during and following diabetes counselling and empowerment-based education. Everyone who had participated in a diabetes counselling and empowerment course between 2008-2016 was invited to respond to an online survey and follow-up telephone interview if willing. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The research team used interpretative phenomenology to identify core themes from both the survey and telephone interviews and which captured the impact of empowerment-based education. 22 doctors, nurses, dieticians, and psychologists completed an online questionnaire. 10 subsequently took part in telephone interviews. Empowerment-based education changed them from fixers to facilitators. Their transformation included a sense of becoming authentic, 'being the way I want to be' in clinical practice and becoming more self-reflective. This affected them personally as well as reinvigorating them professionally. The participants described a personal and professional journey of transformation that included discovering their person-centred philosophy. They adopted a consultation structure that empowered people with diabetes to care for themselves. It can be speculated that participants' experience of transformation may also guard against professional burnout.

Truth Unmasked: The Voice of an Indian Transwoman in The Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story

The present research article delves deep into the autobiography, The Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story, to unmask the intricate tapestry of challenges, prejudices, and triumphs faced by Revathi, an Indian transwoman. Revathi’s autobiography transcends the boundaries of a mere autobiographical narrative, as it assumes the role of a seminal work that enriches our comprehension of the intricate dynamics pertaining to gender, caste, and social marginalization within the context of India. It serves as a poignant testament to the resilience and defiance of an Indian transwoman amidst socio-cultural adversities. Through the utilization of a narrative approach characterized by a combination of intimacy and directness, Revathi effectively elicits emotional and intellectual engagement from the reader, thereby transforming her story into a compelling and evocative plea for action. The author’s emphasis on topics such as intersectionality and social stigma renders this piece essential for individuals with an inclination towards gender studies, social justice, and Indian culture. The present article critically examines Revathi's voice as an instrument of both resistance and revelation. On one hand, her story confronts and critiques the entrenched societal norms that perpetuate discrimination against the hijra community. On the other, it illuminates the internal struggles and moments of epiphany that define her personal journey of self-realization. The article sheds light on the sociocultural dynamics that intertwine with Revathi's identity as a hijra, her caste background, and her positioning within the broader Indian sociopolitical milieu. This research article accentuates the autobiography's significance in amplifying marginalized voices, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on gender, identity, and human rights in the contemporary Indian context.

Highs, Lows, and Hormones: A Qualitative Metasynthesis of Transgender Individuals’ Experiences Undergoing Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy

ABSTRACT Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) is a key therapeutic approach which aims to help trans and gender diverse (or simply “trans”) individuals’ transition from their sex-presumed-at-birth to their experienced gender identity. Previous reviews have focused on synthesizing quantitative experiences; however, a qualitative lens is important to understand the personal journey of GAHT. This review provides a qualitative meta-synthesis of the experiences of trans people around the world who have undergone GAHT to elicit contextualized understanding of the changes experienced. Systematic searches of eight databases identified an initial 2670 papers, refined to a final 28 papers. Overall, findings suggested that the GAHT journey is unique and elicited a myriad of changes which, whilst challenging at times, were life-changing and brought about positive psychological, physical, and social changes. Other themes explored GAHT not being treated as a fix-all for associated mental health issues, the rules that govern appraisal of physical changes, how privilege and social identity evolve, and the power of affirmation. This work offers important recommendations to improve the care offered to trans people undergoing GAHT. Namely, person-centered support is essential, and peer-navigation may be a useful future direction to explore.

Embodying the Call: ‘Call Narratives’ and the Importance of Encouragement for Progressive Mennonite Pastors

ABSTRACT For the progressive Mennonite pastors I met, the process of becoming a pastor is a lengthy and challenging personal journey of recognizing, accepting, and enacting a call to a pastoral vocation, which occurs in conjunction with institutional requirements. Their stories follow a pattern, which I term a ‘call narrative’, in which a person’s call begins with a presentiment that God is guiding in a particular direction. The potential pastors and church leaders face internal and external resistance to fulfiling the call. Other people, purposefully or unwittingly, affirm the call, until the person feels compelled to accept God’s call to formal church ministry. This article addresses factors that impede people from responding to the call and considers how they overcome resistance by receiving affirmations from individuals and institutions. Throughout each phase of the calling, I explore the element of embodiment as people describe various physical and emotional reactions to the call. The discussion is based on personal interviews and focused group meetings with credentialed Mennonite leaders, and it proceeds in four parts. First, I examine how persons define and acknowledge a call, often with noticeable bodily reactions. Next, I consider personal, social, and institutional factors that hindered individuals from fulfiling that call. Then, I explore how people received affirmations from various sources that enabled them to pursue their calling. The article concludes with a case study of one congregation where pastors and staff responded to the call in different ways based on their interactions with people in the congregation.

Carlayne Jackson, MD, FAAN, on Her Personal and Professional Journey to Become the AAN's 38th President

Carlayne Jackson, MD, FAAN, on Her Personal and Professional Journey to Become the AAN's 38th President

From Plight to Freedom: Exploring a Lesbian’s Odyssey in Chinelo Okparanta’s Under the Udala Trees

The purpose of this article is to examine the personal journey of a lesbian woman pursuing independence from the path of panic, pain, and perplexity as depicted in Chinelo Okparanta’s Under the Udala Trees. According to Nigerian folktales and people, the Udala fruit traditionally symbolises female fertility. The select book is an immediate outcry against the Nigerian government’s initiation of laws with regard to queerness and queer humans. Okparanta’s portrayal realistically echoes the fact that most gays and lesbians, irrespective of their true sexuality, are forced to adopt marriage as their only choice to meet their survival. In sum, this story recounts the experience of a woman with same-sex orientation struggling between her mother, society, and marriage in the Nigerian context. This article will inform readers on how these three overpowering factors, impact the heroine mentally, dissolve her true self, and disrupt the process of self-realisation as a homosexual. In large, the protagonist is subjected to the domestic spheres, circumstances, and persons rather than public settings. She completely accepts herself as a lesbian, and her coming out was successful only during her motherhood, as in the interim she was repressed by her mother until marriage and by her husband after the wedding. Nigeria is not native to queer people; nonetheless, the novelist ends the story with a non-diasporic essence, as how her queer protagonist reached liberation and was able to dwell within her native walls is the novel’s emotional touchstone.

Self-care methods of social workers working in end-of-life care

INTRODUCTION: Most people experience some form of grief and loss during their lifetimes; some even choose to work amongst it every day. Navigating through the effects of this can be an arduous task on a personal level, but what about on a professional level? Social workers are becoming more prominent in end-of-life settings and, whilst they often are well versed in self- care, how does this change when working around death and dying on a daily basis? This study sought to explore these questions and gain a greater understanding of social workers. METHODS: This is a qualitative research study where three semi-structured interviews of social workers working in end-of-life (EOL) care were conducted to explore their perspectives of self- care regarding their profession, and to gain a greater understanding of what is beneficial for them and what requires more work. FINDINGS: All participants had both personal and professional self-care journeys that have enabled them to avoid burnout or compassion fatigue during their careers. Whilst each participant had had some form of training on death and dying or grief and loss, there was a clear lack of job-specific training to support them through their work. CONCLUSION: This research report highlighted three key themes for EOL social workers: personal experience of death and dying; their own self-care strategies and practices; and limitations around specific training on death and dying. Results of this study urge social workers and education providers to seek out further training development and opportunities in EOL care.

Self-Reliance Therapy: Reflections and a New Model

Background: Using the learnings and reflections from their professional and personal journeys, the authors believe that every “Neurosisoriented” mental health concern has four root causes: self-love (a lack of it), fear, grief, and aim (a lack of it). Using this as the premise, the authors have developed a new therapeutic modality that incorporates 12 primary universal formulas that they have conceptualized. Methods: This novel therapeutic model was implemented on 5 pilot batches, and was delivered to a total of 50 clients. The clients were from the upper-middle class section of Indian society, and their ages ranged from 21 to 58. Outcomes: Every participant had their own unique breakthrough moments over the three days of the implementation process. Further qualitative and quantitative research is needed before this new modality can be claimed as beneficial. Interpretation: This modality can be used in both group as well as individual settings, and even implemented in a group, the structure of this modality enables each participant to have a personalized experience.

What Are Patients Asking Online About Strabismus? An Analysis of the Strabismus Subreddit

ABSTRACT Background Reddit is particularly popular due to its anonymity and discussion forum-type format. As an increasing number of patients seek medical advice on social media online, understanding patients’ activity regarding strabismus on Reddit will help assess their concerns and guide patient education. Methods A cross-sectional study of Reddit posts (www.reddit.com/r/strabismus/) was conducted from July 2021 to July 2022. Posts were sorted by date, type, content, emotional tone, and users’ sex and age (when available). Results A total of 709 posts were analyzed. Of the 164 (23%) posts in which users identified sex, 85 (52%) were female. The average age of patients to whom the post regarded was 23.7 ± 11.4 years (range 1–60 years). The most common content was surgical treatment (453, 63.9%), non-surgical treatment (263, 37%), seeking a diagnosis of their condition (190, 26.8%), and sharing personal journeys (136, 19.2%). Of the 289 (41%) posts that conveyed a clear emotional tone, the most common were anxiety (48, 18.3%), happiness (31, 11.8%), insecurity (24, 9.2%), frustration (22, 8.4%), and excitement (22, 8.4%). “Anxiety” posts had a significantly greater association with pre-surgery concerns whereas “happy” posts had a significantly greater association with post-operative updates (p = .003). Conclusions Patients with strabismus who post on Reddit tend to be young adults interested in surgical treatment options. Although the pre-operative tone was anxiety, post-operative posts tended to be happy.

"I Love Every Part of You"

"I Love Every Part of You"