LIVING THE DISRUPTED LIFE: A SYMPHONY OF SURVIVAL.
Contributors: University of Kansas.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 271
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, General.
Description: Living the disrupted life: A symphony of survival was an exploration of the lived experience of surviving difficult life situations as related through personal interviews and written personal accounts. Research questions addressed in the study were: (a) What are the commonalities of difficult life experiences and (b) What are the common themes of survival among individuals facing difficult life situations?.

The lived experience of survival was examined using a Heideggerian hermeneutic approach in the phenomenological tradition. Data included in-depth interviews with five individuals from varying life situations as well as written accounts of survival experiences. A metaphor of music was used as a means of capturing the impact of the lived experiences of the participants in a cognitive and emotional sense.

Three major themes of the survival experience emerged: (a) themes of disruption, fully experiencing the reality of the situation; (b) themes of challenge, rising to the demands of the situation; and (c) themes of nourishment, sustaining the inner spirit. As in a symphony, these themes were repeated at intervals, sometimes in a thundering powerful voice; sometimes as a soft, clear, sweet melody; sometimes as a dominant theme, but at other times in the background.

Each major theme was a compilation of several subthemes which together described the experience of surviving difficult life situations. Themes of disruption included: a penetrating note of pain; I wrote the music and now it's gone; music in a soundproof room; what do you mean, practice my funeral song; if you're going to sing with me, sing in the same key; where is the last note in the song; the dissonance of competing tunes; new music on an unknown instrument; music out of balance; and a note set apart. Themes of challenge included: accepting the music; the challenge of a marching beat; the challenge of changing keys; the sustained note of persistence; directing the music; resolving chords of dissonance; connecting the notes; and anticipating the music. Themes of nourishment included: a melody of faith and hope; living in a major key; tuning out dissonance; living in harmony; a gleeful note; my song as a gift to the world; and beyond the treble clef.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-01, Section: B, page: 0170.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS, 1992.

School code: 0099.