An Exploration of Positive Identity Development in Women Living with Chronic Pain

Authors

Hillary Sharpe, University of CalgaryFollow
Sandra Collins, Athabasca University

Abstract

We explored the concept of living positively with chronic pain using a mixed - methods design that relied primarily on hermeneutic phenomenology. Ten women described their experiences of developing a positive identity while contending with chronic pain. Throughout their journeys, the women interviewed experienced a number of key themes including: the sense of being separate from their bodies, the failure of the biomedical system, and the creation of support networks. Three major categories emerged from the data: (a) Before Diagnosis , (b) Redefinition of Self, and (c) Moving Forward. The implications for healthcare providers and the limitations of this study are discussed.

Keywords

Coping, Hermeneutic Phenomenology, Chronic Pain, Women’s Health, Identity

Publication Date

4-15-2013

Creative Commons License

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

DOI

10.46743/2160-3715/2013.1533

Recommended APA Citation

Sharpe, H., & Collins, S. (2013). An Exploration of Positive Identity Development in Women Living with Chronic Pain. The Qualitative Report, 18(15), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.46743/2160-3715/2013.1533