Facing mortality: exploring the mechanisms of positive growth and the process of recalibration.
Psychol Health Med
; 16(3): 366-74, 2011 May.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21491344
Interviews with 11 participants who had suffered a range of traumas five or more years ago were analysed using thematic analysis to explore the impact of a negative event and the mechanisms involved in subsequent changes and adjustment. Participants described a sense of mortality reflected in a feeling that life was fragile as though the intellectual knowledge of their future death had been turned into an emotional reality, which had offered them opportunity to make changes across a number of life domains. For some, however, these changes were hindered through ongoing issues such as physical and psychological symptoms and legal action. The final theme reflected a process of recalibration and many described achieving a state of relative contentment. Transcending these themes were a series of mechanisms facilitating change including downward comparisons to friends and abstract others, active remembering involving forced reflection, self-talk and reading diaries, shifting priorities and a focus on the positives and lowered expectations. Overall, it is suggested that growth following trauma is achieved through a shift in the object of comparison whether it be others or themselves as either in an alternative life trajectory or even death. This may result in a greater appreciation of life, but rather than being achieved through growth in one's sense of self per se it reflects a generalised lowering of expectations and growth in comparison to a new lowered set of points of comparison.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Adaptación Psicológica
/
Actitud Frente a la Muerte
Tipo de estudio:
Qualitative_research
Límite:
Adult
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
/
Middle aged
País/Región como asunto:
Europa
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Psychol Health Med
Asunto de la revista:
MEDICINA
/
SERVICOS DE SAUDE
Año:
2011
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Reino Unido