Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Document Type
Dissertation - NSU Access Only
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Occupational Therapy
Copyright Statement
All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.
First Advisor
Rick Davenport
Date of original Performance / Presentation
January 2022
Publication Date / Copyright Date
1-1-2022
NSUWorks Citation
Oaklee Rogers. 2022. The Lived Experience of Fathers with Addiction: A Phenomenological Study. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, . (111)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/hpd_ot_student_dissertations/111.
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore fathers’ occupational identity from their addiction through recovery and their perceptions of their occupational identity related to their parenting role. This study utilized a qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenology approach with semi-structured interviews. Ten participants who identified as a father and having an addiction participated in this study. Data were collected until data saturation was achieved. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Four themes emerged to answer two research questions: I was young, but it wasn't a problem until later. Being an addict is a part of who I am. My family means more to me than the drugs. And I want to be a dad again. Findings from this study describe how the activity choice of fathers using substances in adolescent years contributes to the development of their occupational identity. The findings highlight how their occupational identity during the heavy phase of addiction was that of an addict and how in the early phase of recovery, they believed that being an addict would always be a fluctuating part of their occupational identity. The findings also describe how the fathers’ family was the primary motivator or personal causation to become and stay sober. Lastly, the findings illustrate how their volition cycle, goals, and their ability to achieve their performance capacity as a parent changed after achieving sobriety, thus expanding their occupational identity as a parent. Understanding the occupational identity of fathers with addiction creates opportunities for future research and provides implications for occupational therapy practice.
Disciplines
Occupational Therapy
Keywords
Addiction; Father; Model of Human Occupation; Occupational identity; Occupational therapy; Substance Use Disorder