Meaning in the midst of crisis: A qualitative study of family sensemaking throughout the terminal illness journey

The purpose of the study was to explore how families constructed shared meanings of terminal illness through storytelling. This study sought to understand three things. One – how do patients and their families construct a shared meaning of terminal illness? Two – what role does physical proximity play into the sensemaking process? Three – what role does relational proximity play into the sensemaking process?Grounded in social constructivist epistemology, a basic qualitative method was chosen for this study. The study population included three families who were experiencing or had experienced terminal illness. Data were collected through three family semi-structured interviews and 12 follow-up interviews with individual family members. Data analysis involved an iterative process between structural and thematic narrative analyses (Riessman, 2008). Thematic narrative analysis focused on the content of the narratives to look for the meanings constructed, while structural narrative analysis examined the telling and the structure of stories told. This study found that shared meanings are constructed through interactive dialog between family members that incorporates multiple perspectives and draws from individual and multiple storytellers. Furthermore, physical and relational proximity facilitate the sensemaking process. Physical proximity during family dialog affords multiple settings for interaction and feedback that enhance the construction of shared meaning of terminal illness. Relational proximity opens opportunities for families to discuss emotionally charged issues and conversations in the construction of shared meaning of terminal illness.

Author

• Schlumpf, Karen S.

Language

• en

Keyword

• interactive storytelling
• sensemaking
• family
• terminal illness
• symbolic interactionism

Date created

• 2024

Type of Work

• Dissertation

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Human & Organizational Learning

Degree

• Ed.D.

Advisor

• Scully-Russ, Ellen

Committee Member(s)

• Ali, Arshad I
• Puchalski, Christina M

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/9z903087j