The expression of ultimate life goals in co-creative art processes with palliative cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: Co-creation, characterized by artists and patients creating a joint work of art, may support patients with the integration of disruptive life events into their life story, such as living with cancer. Focusing on experiences of contingency and life goals could support this process. The research questions are: (1) 'how are patient's ultimate life goals and experiences of contingency expressed in the work of art as created in a process of co-creation?'; (2) 'how do the four phases of integration of experiences of contingency unfold during co-creation?' METHODS: Ten patients who were in a palliative stage of cancer treatment completed co-creation processes. Audio recordings of these co-creation processes were imported in Atlas-Ti and analysed by applying directed content analysis. We searched for life goals and experiences of contingency in the four phases of co-creation; Art communications, Element compilation, Consolidation, Reflection. RESULTS: Patients used 4-8 sessions (median 5 sessions) with a duration of 90-240 min each (median duration 120 min). All patients expressed their experience of contingency and their ultimate life goals within the four phases of co-creation and in their work of art. A case description is presented illustrating the co-creation process. CONCLUSIONS: During co-creation, patients move through four phases in which experiences of contingency and ultimate life goals can be made explicit through art making and can be expressed in the work of art, supporting integration of experiences of contingency into one's life narrative.

Individual differences in revising the life story-Personality and event characteristics influence change in the autobiographical meaning of life events.

OBJECTIVE: Repeated autobiographical narratives have recently received increased attention as measures of the stability of narrative identity. We propose that one way to map change in life narratives is to rate the degree to which the autobiographical meaning of renarrated events changes. We aimed to test the influence of age, traits (openness, extraversion), and event characteristics on how much autobiographical meaning changes. METHOD: In waves 3 and 4 of the MainLife study, 123 participants (15-72 years) narrated their lives twice, 4 years apart. Life events that were told both times were rated for change in autobiographical meaning (n = 531). Multilevel models tested individual and event characteristics as predictors. RESULTS: Autobiographical meaning changed more the more individuals were open to experience, the more recently the events had happened, and the more negative emotions the event narratives contained. It was unrelated to extraversion and to the use of autobiographical arguments. A decrease in change with age was due to older individuals narrating older events. CONCLUSION: Our findings add to understanding how traits and life story are related and underscore the need to further study the role of event characteristics for stability and change in narrative identity.

Agencias, agentes y ámbitos de socialización política: exploración a partir de relatos de vida de militantes universitarios/as

Resumen: El presente trabajo se propuso precisar el rol de agencias, agentes y ámbitos en el proceso de socialización política de estudiantes-militantes de la Universidad Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina). Se realizó un estudio cualitativo descriptivo con 18 estudiantes de ambos sexos. Se realizaron entrevistas abiertas y en profundidad, utilizando la perspectiva de los relatos de vida. Se efectuó un análisis de contenido cualitativo temático. Los resultados resaltan la importancia de la familia, la escuela y el grupo de pares en el aprendizaje político. A su vez, se discute el rol de la Universidad pública como agencia y ámbito de socialización política.

Resumo: O presente trabalho procurou especificar o papel de agências, agentes e âmbitos no processo de socialização política de estudantes-militantes da Universidade Nacional de Córdoba (Argentina). Foi realizado um estudo qualitativo descritivo com 18 estudantes de ambos os sexos. Entrevistas abertas e aprofundadas foram realizadas, utilizando a perspectiva das histórias de vida. Foi efetuada uma análise do conteúdo qualitativo temático. Os resultados destacam a importância da família, escola e grupo de pares na aprendizagem política. Por sua vez, é discutido o papel da universidade pública como agência e âmbito da socialização política.

Abstract: The present investigation aimed to determine the role of agents, agencies and contexts in the political socialization process of activists-students from National University of Cordoba (Argentina). A qualitative and descriptive study with 18 students of both sexes was carried out. Open and in-depth interviews, using life narratives approach, were made. A qualitative and thematic content analysis was performed. Results highlight the importance of family, school and pair groups in political learning. At the same time, public university role as agency and sphere of political socialization is discussed.

Explaining change in content of life narratives over time.

Aiming to further the understanding of stability and change of the life story, we investigated memory age and valence of life events as possible factors influencing life narrative stability. Additionally, we examined personal memories that 145 participants ranging in age from 16 to 69 years had told four years earlier but omitted from their current life narratives. In particular, we tested the accessibility of these omitted memories and explored the reasons for omission from life narratives. Younger age of memories but not valence predicted omission. Further, omitted memories could be remembered when aided with memory prompts. Both remembering and including life events in the current life narrative appeared to be related to personal relevance at the time of telling, supporting prior research that emphasises the role of motivation, ongoing goals, and concerns for the construction of personal narratives.

Incest Survivors' Life-Narratives.

This article analyzes the narratives of survivors of father-daughter incest using 20 in-depth interviews with women, each asked to choose a title for her life-story and reflect on its meaning. Three narratives emerged: "Surviving" tells of a struggle for personal achievement in an independent life alongside intensely traumatic experiences and negative feelings, "Fighting Back/Seeking Vengeance" tells of aspiring to strength by acting on their will to fight back and desire for revenge, and "Growing" reflects the wish to fight and win a place in the world through a "rebuilding" process. The conceptualization of incest survivors' life-narratives is based on the dialectical perspective.

Narrative coherence, psychopathology, and wellbeing: Concurrent and longitudinal findings in a mid-adolescent sample.

INTRODUCTION: Research with adults and older adolescents has found that people exhibiting higher narrative coherence in life stories also report higher psychological wellbeing; however, this link has not been investigated longitudinally. The current study investigated concurrent and longitudinal relationships in mid-adolescence between narrative coherence (causal and thematic coherence) of turning point narratives and psychopathology (depressive symptoms and rumination) and psychological wellbeing (life satisfaction). Hypothesis one was that in concurrent analyses, narrative coherence would be negatively associated with psychopathology and positively associated with wellbeing. Hypothesis two was that higher narrative coherence would predict lower psychopathology and greater wellbeing over time. METHOD: A sample of 132 adolescents (ages 14-18 years) wrote a narrative about a turning point event in their life and completed psychopathology and psychological wellbeing measures twice, approximately one year apart. RESULTS: Partial correlations on concurrent data showed that only causal coherence was associated with lower psychopathology and higher wellbeing. Longitudinal regressions showed that causal coherence predicted higher wellbeing one year later. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that causal coherence in life stories may play a causal role in increased life satisfaction over time for adolescents. Experimental research is required to further investigate this possibility.

Parents' traces in life: When and how parents are presented in spontaneous life narratives.

OBJECTIVE: Although parents are acknowledged to be a part of their children's personality and narrative identity and to remain important across the life span, narrative personality research has not yet explored the spontaneous presentation of parents in life stories. Therefore, this study examined longitudinally the place given to parents when crafting one's life narrative and how this changes with age. Furthermore, in contrast to prior studies, we focused on spontaneous mentions of parents. METHOD: We investigated how often parents are mentioned in life narratives of six age groups spanning from age 8 to 69, how the parental relationship is evaluated, whether narrators express understanding of their parents, and whether they respond to parental values. RESULTS: People of all ages dedicated a substantial part of their life narratives to their parents and evaluated their relationship with them in an increasingly differentiated manner. Parents were increasingly perceived as individuals beyond their parental nurturing role. Until late in life, individuals reflect on values and opinions that were transferred to them by their parents. CONCLUSIONS: Parents hold a consistent place in life narratives, emphasizing their importance for narrative identity. Results are discussed in terms of lifelong child-parent relationships. Directions for future research are outlined.

Uma onda que vem e dá um caixote: representações e destinos da crise em adolescentes usuários de um CAPSi / A wave that comes rushing in and dunks you: representations and destinies of the crisis in adolescent users of a CAPSi

Resumo O artigo enfoca os aspectos intersubjetivos envolvidos na atenção à crise psicossocial de adolescentes, suas representações e desdobramentos. Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, desenvolvida através da perspectiva psicossociológica, através da construção de narrativas de vidas de adolescentes que se tratam num Centro de Atenção Psicossocial para Crianças e Adolescentes (CAPSi). Baseamo-nos nas contribuições teóricas de René Kaës sobre aspectos grupais e culturais da crise, assim como sua relação com a adolescência. As narrativas de vida, construídas através de entrevistas em profundidade com adolescentes, parentes próximos dos mesmos e profissionais do CAPSi, apresentam a crise como "surpresa", violência e estranhamento, momento que precisa ser esquecido, negado, silenciado e medicalizado. Concluímos que a crise envolve forte sofrimento psíquico por parte do adolescente, pessoas próximas e também profissionais, o que coloca em questão as possibilidades e os limites do cuidado. Apontamos, assim, para a importância de espaços protegidos, na instituição e na rede de saúde, que possibilitem construção coletiva de novos sentidos, representações e destinos da crise, tanto por parte de usuários quanto de profissionais.

Abstract This article focuses on the inter-subjective aspects involved in the care of psychosocial crises of adolescents, their representations and developments. A qualitative research was developed from a psycho-sociological perspective by constructing life story narratives of adolescents treated at a Psychosocial Care Center for Children and Adolescents (CAPSi). It was based on the theoretical contributions of René Kaës on group and cultural aspects of the crisis, as well as its relation to adolescence. Life narratives, constructed through in-depth interviews with adolescents, close relatives, and CAPSi caretakers depict crisis as a "surprise", as violence and estrangement, an episode that must be forgotten, denied, silenced, and medicalized. We concluded that the crisis involves strong mental suffering for adolescents, for the people close to them, and for caretakers, which calls into question the possibilities and limits of care. We, therefore, highlight the importance of protected spaces in both the institution and the health network that would allow the collective construction of new meanings, representations and destinies of crisis, both by users and caretakers.

Cotidiano, esquizofrenia e narrativas da experiência de adoecimento / Everyday life, schizophrenia and narratives of illness experience

Introdução: Apresenta-se uma revisão bibliográfica narrativa de estudos sobre o cotidiano de pessoas com diagnóstico do espectro esquizofrênico a partir das suas narrativas sobre a experiência do adoecimento, publicados na forma de artigos em revistas indexadas. As revisões narrativas partem de questões amplas, com fontes de dados e seleção de artigos que podem conter algum viés, buscando o desenvolvimento de um tema de forma contextual e teórica. Objetivo: O objetivo foi indicar como os estudos de narrativas sobre o cotidiano e experiências de adoecimento em esquizofrenia apresentam-se no cenário nacional e internacional, os autores mais relevantes, como conceituam cotidiano, tipos de estudos realizados e as possíveis contribuições para processo saúde/doença/cuidado na assistência em saúde mental. Método: Buscou-se a amplitude do material pesquisado, a apropriação e o fichamento deste. Relatamos o que foi encontrado, em termos quantitativos sobre o tema, para em seguida apresentar a análise geral dos artigos selecionados. Neste trabalho nos interessou conhecer aqueles que apresentam como o cotidiano é experimentado por pessoas com o diagnóstico de esquizofrenia. Resultados: Considerando as sete bases de dados utilizadas durante esta revisão, selecionamos 281 artigos, 90% destes de origem internacional e pouco menos de um terço (82 artigos) relatam/descrevem e valorizam as narrativas em primeira pessoa sobre a experiência de adoecimento. Conclusão: Discute-se a pertinência e responsabilidade das pesquisas em saúde mental centradas no vivido, no cenário contemporâneo das ciências, e o diálogo com as singularidades e respeito às diferentes experiências de adoecimento no contexto sociocultural brasileiro.

Introduction: This paper presents a narrative review of the literature on the everyday life of people diagnosed with the schizophrenia spectrum, from their narratives about the illness experience, published as articles in indexed journals. The narrative reviews start from broad issues with data sources and selection of articles that may contain some bias, seeking to develop a contextual and theoretical theme. Objective: The main objective is to indicate how narrative studies on the everyday life and experience of schizophrenia are presented in the national and international scenario; the most relevant authors; how the everyday life concept is described; type of studies performed and the possible contributions to the health/disease/care in mental health care process. Method: We sought the breadth of the researched material, appropriation and organization of it. We reported the findings in quantitative terms on the subject to then present an overview of the selected papers. We aimed to knowing those who present the everyday life experienced by people diagnosed with schizophrenia. Results: Considering the seven databases used during this review, we selected 281 papers, 90% of them were international and just under one third (82 papers) report/describe and value their narrative in first person about the illness experience. Conclusão: We discuss the relevance and responsibility of mental health researches centered on the experience, the current sciences scenario, and the dialogues with singularities, and regarding the different experiences of illness in the Brazilian sociocultural context

Exploratory Study of Depressed Adolescents' Life Narratives.

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the life stories of depressive adolescents and compare them with non-clinical adolescents' life stories. Methods: For this purpose, we compared 20 life stories of hospitalized adolescents suffering from major depressive episode with 40 life stories of adolescents attending school divided into two groups: 20 non-depressed and 20 depressed adolescents. Results: Results showed that life stories differed as a function of psychopathology. Depressed hospitalized adolescents spoke about their disease and defined themselves by their depression. The depressed adolescents in school concentrated on schooling and school achievements, while the non-depressed group defined themselves by their family, friends and inclusion in a peer group. Conclusion: These analyses allowed us to highlight specific themes mentioned by each of the three groups of adolescents. Although life stories are personal and unique, analysis of such stories allows us to better understand the daily reality of depressive adolescents and the relationships between the life events they experience, daily stressors, depression and how they construct their personal history.

What goes around comes back around: life narratives and the significance of the past in Donna Leon's Death at La Fenice.

This paper examines the life narratives of characters in Donna Leon's much-celebrated novel Death at La Fenice (1992). In the first of her Brunetti mystery series, Commissario Guido Brunetti investigates the death of the renowned conductor Helmut Wellauer, poisoned during a performance of La Traviata at La Fenice. As his investigation progresses, Brunetti discovers dark secrets in the past of the acclaimed Maestro, revealing his dishonesty and cruelty, but, most shockingly, his involvement in a horrendous case of child abuse and death by neglect. My analysis will address the role of memory and the significance of the past for the present, as the tragic experiences of the Santina sisters in the 1930s become intertwined with those of Wellauer's present wife Elizabeth and her daughter Alexandra. Using literary theory and cultural gerontology as methodological tools, this paper will explore Leon's portrait of the aging process: Wellauer's lack of remorse for his past sins and his inability to cope with impending deafness will be contrasted with the painful account by Wellauer's former lover, the once famous soprano Clemenza Santina, whose narrative response to her traumatic experience renders the past more alive than the present. The significance of memory, as well as the crucial role of life narratives in the personal and cultural construction of identity, will be addressed to interrogate the ways in which our perception of aging can be enriched by literary studies.

The reminiscence bump in older adults' life story transitions.

Older adults' memories of events that occurred in adolescence and early adulthood are over-represented compared to other lifetime periods. Prior research on this reminiscence bump has focused on qualities of individual memories. The present study used a novel interview method to examine the potential role played by mental representations of extended lifetime periods. Older adults provided oral life stories, and they divided their transcribed narratives into "chapters". Participants' ages at chapter beginnings and endings showed pronounced reminiscence bumps. The results are consistent with the idea that personal episodes occurring near the boundaries of extended lifetime periods receive preferential processing that enhances long-term memory.

What do we know when we know a person across contexts? Examining self-concept differentiation at the three levels of personality.

OBJECTIVE: Previous research examining self-concept differentiation (SCD) has been characterized by (a) a focus on behavioral traits and (b) the conflation of mean-level and inter-contextual differentiation. In two studies, we considered non-conflated measures of SCD at the three levels of personality description in relation to adjustment. METHOD: In Study 1, participants completed measures of adjustment, rated their behavioral tendencies (dispositional traits), produced a list of goals (characteristic adaptations), and recalled a self-defining memory (life narratives), from within professional and personal domains. In Study 2, the procedure was modified: Participants reporting either low or high levels of adjustment subsequently rated their behavioral traits, provided a list of goals, or produced a self-defining memory, from five contexts. RESULTS: In Study 1, adjustment related positively to SCD at the level of characteristic adaptations but negatively to SCD at the level of life narratives. In Study 2, well-adjusted participants exhibited a greater degree of SCD at the level of characteristic adaptations but a greater degree of thematic consistency at the level of life narratives, relative to those low in adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: These results highlight the dynamic nature of SCD across levels of personality and align with the notion that differentiation represents virtue and vice.

Understanding Values in a Large Health Care Organization through Work-Life Narratives of High-Performing Employees.

OBJECTIVE­: To understand high-performing frontline employees' values as reflected in their narratives of day-to-day interactions in a large health care organization. METHODS­: A total of 150 employees representing various roles within the organization were interviewed and asked to share work-life narratives (WLNs) about value-affirming situations (i.e. situations in which they believed their actions to be fully aligned with their values) and value-challenging situations (i.e. when their actions or the actions of others were not consistent with their values), using methods based on appreciative inquiry. RESULTS­: The analysis revealed 10 broad values. Most of the value-affirming WLNs were about the story-teller and team providing care for the patient/family. Half of the value-challenging WLNs were about the story-teller or a patient and barriers created by the organization, supervisor, or physician. Almost half of these focused on "treating others with disrespect/respect". Only 15% of the value-challenging WLNs contained a resolution reached by the participants, often leaving them describing unresolved and frequently negative feelings. CONCLUSIONS­: Appreciative inquiry and thematic analysis methods were found to be an effective tool for understanding the important and sometimes competing role personal and institutional values play in day-to-day work. There is remarkable potential in using WLNs as a way to surface and reinforce shared values and, perhaps more importantly, respectfully to identify and discuss conflicting personal and professional values.