Suchergebnisse

AbstractThe article explores how young adults with co-occurring substance use and mental health problems experience and describe their own and others' contributions to their sense of community belonging. This article is part of a larger qualitative interview study of young adults. The data for this report were the individual interviews with two study participants. These participants were chosen because they offered in-depth understandings relating to various aspects of community belonging. A thematic narrative analysis of the interview data was carried out. Central to this model of analysis is to transform unstructured qualitative interview data into a unified narrative for each participant, structured around a thematic plot. The analysis revealed two plots: 'Having to go against yourself to be an insider', and 'You have to realize that you have problems and try to do something about them'. We interpreted the first narrative as an expression of marginalized people feeling they deserve recognition from society, while the second narrative reflected the idea that each person has a personal responsibility for being valued. We conclude that the narratives expressed the importance of helping young adults to place their lived experiences in a larger social context.

Background: Narratives of recovery from mental health distress have played a central role in the establishment of the recovery paradigm within mental health policy and practice. As use of recovery narratives increases within services, it is critical to understand how they have been characterised, and what may be missing from their characterisation thus far. The aim of this review was to synthesise published typologies in order to develop a conceptual framework characterising mental health recovery narratives. Method: A systematic review was conducted of published literature on the characteristics of mental health recovery narratives. Narrative synthesis involved identifying characteristics and organising them into dimensions and types; and subgroup analysis based on study quality, narrator involvement in analysis, diagnosis of psychosis and experience of trauma. The synthesis was informed by consultation with a Lived Experience Advisory Panel and an academic panel. The review protocol was pre-registered (Prospero CRD42018090188). Results: 8951 titles, 366 abstracts and 121 full-text articles published January 2000-July 2018 were screened, of which 45 studies analysing 629 recovery narratives were included. A conceptual framework of mental health recovery narratives was developed, comprising nine dimensions (Genre; Positioning; Emotional Tone; Relationship with Recovery; Trajectory; Use of Turning Points; Narrative Sequence; Protagonists; and Use of Metaphors), each containing between two and six types. Subgroup analysis indicated all dimensions were present across most subgroups, with Turning Points particularly evident in trauma-related studies. Conclusions: Recovery narratives are diverse and multidimensional. They may be non-linear and reject coherence. To a greater extent than illness narratives, they incorporate social, political and rights aspects. Approaches to supporting development of recovery narratives should expand rather than reduce available choices. Research into the narratives of more diverse populations is needed. The review supports trauma-informed approaches, and highlights the need to understand and support post-traumatic growth for people experiencing mental health issues.