Mental health and mediumship: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

There is a lack of research examining the mental health of practicing mediums, yet the nature of mediumship work inherently presents a number of challenges to the mental health of practitioners. In this study, we aimed to gain an understanding of how mediums experience their mental health in relation to their mediumistic practice and how they recognise and respond to psychological difficulties experienced by their clients. Fourteen mediums from the North West of England took part in one-to-one interviews, which were transcribed and subject to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Four themes were identified: from past traumas to mediumistic identity; spirit makes sense, mental illness is chaos; being resilient but vulnerable; and ethical mediumistic practice. The research highlights the value of not dismissing or attempting to change appraisals of valued aspects of mediums’ anomalous experiences. However, the findings do indicate that support for exposure to clients’ difficulties might be helpful.     

Aggressive behaviour in adult slot machine gamblers: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

A growing number of studies have reported a link between gambling and aggressive behaviour. The aim of this study was to contextualize objective findings of a previous observational study regarding slot machine gambling and aggressive behaviour (Parke & Griffiths, Psychological Reports, 95, 109–114, 2004). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was applied using the Idiographic Case Study method. The data revealed three superordinate themes regarding slot machine gambling‐induced aggression (i.e. Competitive Advantage Reduction, Self‐esteem Reduction, and Cognitive Regret). Within these superordinate themes, subordinate themes emerged identifying how environmental factors and structural characteristics of slot machine gambling, along with the consequences of losing, produced aggressive behaviour. It is concluded that gambling‐induced aggression is a manifestation of the underlying conflict of engaging in dysfunctional behaviour while consciously acknowledging its detrimental effects. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The transition to motherhood in an organizational context: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Most of the extant literature on maternity issues is survey based, primarily concerned with identifying the predictors of return to work. The current study aims instead to understand experiences of maternity leave per se. Of the 10 women interviewed during pregnancy, 8 women were followed through to their return to work. Their interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis to identify transitional themes. Findings are discussed in terms of two master themes: changes of identity (involving feelings of gradual invisibility as a valued employee, acquisition of a ‘mother’ identity creating return dilemmas and efforts to revalidate oneself upon re‐entry as both a valued employee and a mother); and changed psychological contracts (pertaining to the fulfilment of mutual expectations). Overall, women appeared to struggle subjectively with prevailing their rights, needs and concerns as mothers while simultaneously also maintaining their identity as valued and functional members of the organization. The findings can be conceptualized within existing theoretical frameworks (e.g. Psychological Contract Theory) and to this extent it is possible to draw out implications for a more effective management of the transition process from pregnancy to return to work.     

Waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Demand for kidneys from deceased donors far outstrips supply. Despite this, there appears to be little research that focuses solely on the experience of waiting for a kidney from a deceased donor. This study uses the qualitative methodology interpretative phenomenological analysis to explore the lives of 10 people on the transplant list, with the aims of illuminating the potential psychological challenges those on the list may face during this time, and providing information to help clinicians more fully support such people in the future. Two themes connected to the experience of waiting – adjustment to the uncertainty of waiting and thinking about receiving a kidney from a living donor – are presented here. Participants describe a sense of confusion and uncertainty around life on the list, and discuss their strategies for dealing with this. Novel complexities around the ambiguous challenge of receiving an organ from a deceased donor are revealed. It is recommended that health care teams provide a forum for this patient group to work through these feelings of confusion and ambiguity.     

Individual experiences of an acceptance-based pain management programme: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Acceptance of pain has been found to play an important role in adjusting to chronic pain, and the evidence-base is growing with regards to the effectiveness of acceptance-based interventions such as acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness and contextual cognitive behavioural therapy within pain management settings. Despite the growing interest in such interventions, previous studies into acceptance-based pain management programmes (PMPs) are quantitative and the exact processes at work during such programmes remain unknown. This study aims to add to previous quantitative research in the area by qualitatively exploring individual experiences of attending an acceptance-based PMP and identifying the key constituents of the programme that participants felt facilitated change. Semi-structured interviews (n = 6) were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis, and five themes emerged: I’m not alone, others understand my pain, Freedom from pain taking over, A new self – one with pain, Parts of the programme participants felt facilitated change and Exercise is possible. These findings are then considered in relation to past research and relevant constructs in the literature. Implications for future research and clinical practice are also discussed alongside participant reflections and suggested areas for improvement.     

The theory of judgment aggregation: an introductory review

This paper provides an introductory review of the theory of judgment aggregation. It introduces the paradoxes of majority voting that originally motivated the field, explains several key results on the impossibility of propositionwise judgment aggregation, presents a pedagogical proof of one of those results, discusses escape routes from the impossibility and relates judgment aggregation to some other salient aggregation problems, such as preference aggregation, abstract aggregation and probability aggregation. The present illustrative rather than exhaustive review is intended to give readers who are new to the field of judgment aggregation a sense of this rapidly growing research area.     

Difficulties adjusting to post-discharge life following a spinal cord injury: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 17 individuals who had experienced a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), focusing on the participants' lived experience of SCI. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and were analysed for recurrent themes using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Here, we present three inter-related recurrent themes all concerning difficulties in adjusting to home life following hospital discharge: "loss of camaraderie", "lack of post-discharge care" and "other people's reactions to spinal cord injury". Participants reported that the camaraderie they formed with fellow patients during their rehabilitative stay in hospital generated feelings of security and community. This was discussed in stark contrast to the isolation and loneliness that they subsequently experienced post-hospital discharge. A perceived lack of physical, practical and psychological support coupled with negative and stigmatising reactions of the wider community served to make adjustment to home life post-SCI particularly difficult for the participants. The findings are discussed in relation to extant SCI literature, and recommendations for future health care of individuals with SCI are made.     

Being a non-drinking student: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Recent research suggests that safer student alcohol consumption might be assisted by understanding how social occasions are managed by non-drinkers. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with five 19 – 22 year old non-drinking English undergraduates were subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. We present five inter-linked themes: ‘living with challenges to non-drinking’; ‘seeing what goes on in drinking environments’; ‘dealing with conversations about non-drinking (making excuses vs. coming out)’; ‘knowing which friends care about you’; and ‘the importance of minimising “legroom” for peer pressure’. Participants felt under persistent peer scrutiny (as a form of peer pressure) and could feel alienated in drinking environments. Talking about non-drinking was characterised by whether to ‘come out’ (as a non-drinker) or ‘fake it’ (e.g. ‘I’m on antibiotics’). Loyal friendships were reported as particularly important in this context. The decision not to drink was experienced as providing a successful buffer to peer pressure for former drinkers. Our findings unsettle traditional health promotion campaigns which advocate moderate drinking among students without always suggesting how it might be most successfully accomplished and offer tentative guidance on how non-drinking during specific social occasions might be managed more successfully. Findings are discussed in relation to extant literature and future research directions are suggested.     

Coping with a child who stutters: A phenomenological analysis

Qualitative methods were used in the form of a phenomenological analysis to explore how families cope with having a child who stutters. Twelve participants, 2 men and 10 women, who have children who stutter participated in this study. The participants were asked to consider their experiences with being the parent of a child who stutters. Analysis of these data resulted in 3 primary categories. The results indicate that parents experience and cope with stresses associated with being the parent of a child who stutters. The participants described feelings of uncertainty and concern as well as the desire to do what is best for their children. Results highlight the importance of providing information and avenues of support that will help parents more effectively cope with having a child who stutters.Educational objectives: The reader will be able to: (a) describe, from the perspective of a parent of a child who stutters, the themes associated with the process of coping with a child who stutters, (b) describe types of coping resources, (c) describe the factors that influence the choice to use emotion-focused and problem-focused coping strategies, and (d) describe four specific areas to consider when providing resources for families of children who stutter.     

Women's experience of brain injury: An interpretative phenomenological analysis

Acquired traumatic brain injury (TBI) can leave the survivor with a complex range of psychological sequalae. This study aims to investigate the experience from the perspective of women with acquired TBI. Using a qualitative research method, six women with a TBI were interviewed about their experience, and the interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed according to Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). The major themes that emerged were: awareness of change; the emotional reaction; struggling to make sense; adaptation and acceptance. This article describes the process of adaptation, and the implications for rehabilitation are discussed. It is suggested that an intervention based on these themes might be an effective tool in rehabilitation.     

Listener perceptions along a fluency--disfluency continuum: a phenomenological analysis

The purpose of this study was to conduct a phenomenological analysis (a qualitative research method) of unbiased listeners' perceptions to six speech samples across a fluency-disfluency continuum. A sample of 60 individuals heard only one sample chosen from three levels of fluent or three levels of disfluent speech. Listeners were interviewed following the presentation of the speech sample and their comments were analyzed with respect to the perception of the speaker's communicative effectiveness. Communicative effectiveness was supported by three phenomenological categories: speaker attributes, listener attributes, and story attributes. Five theme clusters further supported these categories: speech production, context, speaker identity, listener comfort, and story comprehension. The results showed that listener perceptions within theme clusters varied across the six speech samples. The results also showed that listeners differentially respond to a broad array of information in the speech signal (not simply fluency or disfluency). These findings support Traunmuller's (1994) modulation theory associated with information that can be obtained from the speech signal. Implications for the treatment of stuttering are also discussed. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: The reader will learn (1) how listeners may have multiple and varying perceptual experiences depending upon where along a fluency-disfluency continuum a speech sample is heard; (2) how perceptual experiences are influenced by speaker, listener, and story attributes; and (3) how phenomenological analysis may expand our understanding of multifactorial issues associated with stuttering.