Relational-Developmental Autoethnography: A Method of Qualitative Inquiry that Fosters Personal Growth

Authors

• Chris Wells, Dąbrowski Center, Madison, Wisconsin, USAFollow

Abstract

This paper introduces relational–developmental autoethnography (RDA), a qualitative method for exploring psychological growth through personal writing and reflection. Developed through lived experience, RDA traces psychological development through sustained, recursive engagement with personal writing. Drawing on an archive of my journals, letters, clinical records, and correspondence spanning more than 30 years, I show how writing and reflection were first tools for my survival, and later became catalysts for insight, healing, and transformation. RDA is grounded in two developmental frameworks: Dąbrowski’s theory of positive disintegration, which views emotional intensity and inner conflict as signs of developmental potential, and relational-cultural theory, which recognizes connection and mutuality as essential to growth. I outline five key phases in the emergence of this method and illustrate how recursive engagement with one’s personal archive can foster ethical clarity, self-authorship, and a coherent narrative of becoming. RDA offers a model of inquiry for those navigating difficult life experiences as part of an ongoing process of self-understanding and growth.

Keywords

autoethnography, positive disintegration, psychological development, reflexivity, recursion, giftedness, neurodivergence

Author Bio(s)

Chris Wells, Ph.D., is an independent scholar, writer, and podcaster examining positive disintegration, neurodivergence, and personal growth. As the founder of the Dąbrowski Center and creator of the Positive Disintegration Network, they are committed to expanding conversations about Dąbrowski’s theory in both academic and public spaces. Chris co-hosts the Positive Disintegration and PDA: Resistance and Resilience podcasts and writes on Substack, where they bridge theory and lived experience, making Dąbrowski’s complex ideas more accessible and applicable. Their work is driven by a deep appreciation for self-development, authenticity, and transformation, aiming to support others in navigating their own growth through positive disintegration. Please address correspondence to [email protected]

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Michael M. Piechowski for encouraging me to pursue the theoretical questions at the heart of this work. His mentorship challenged me to think deeply and write with integrity. I also wish to thank the late R. Frank Falk, who was the first to recognize what I was doing as a method, and whose steady encouragement helped me trust that recognition.

Publication Date

8-31-2026

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Recommended APA Citation

Wells, C. (2026). Relational-developmental autoethnography: A method of qualitative inquiry that fosters personal growth. The Qualitative Report, 31(8), 6559-6577.

ORCID ID

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1642-2780