Voices of stroke survivors in reconstructing their preferred identities : Therapeutic use of personal narratives

Abstract

Living with stroke can be a life-changing experience who have to face multiple losses of functioning and depend on others’ support. Through deconstructing illness storyline and sick-role identity, the stroke experience is the beginning of a journey of self-discovery for the persons’ search of meaning, and re-constructing their preferred identities. A narrative inquiry was used to investigate the recovery experience in group contexts with collective experiences of 35 Chinese stroke survivors emerged from the content analysis of the interview during eight weekly meetings. Six themes were identified: (a) having a sense of purposes, (b) having a sense of mastery, (c) finding ways and having hope, (d) cultivating positive meanings, (e) accepting the losses, and (f) cherishing what is still available. The emerged themes include the persons’ accepting their physical changes, unearthing their spiritual resources, and carrying on their life consistent with their beliefs. Lifespan continuity and cultural diversity in the relation between life-story quality and well-being would be discussed. There are strong implications for the persons to reconstruct their preferred identity to redefine their meaning of life, and the inter-connectedness of the different aspects of themselves, while externally their relationship with others, and also with the society as a whole.