Gaining Personhood of People with Mentally Illnesses
| Project/Area Number |
17530374
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Sociology
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| Research Institution | Saitama prefectural university |
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Principal Investigator |
KATO Tomoko Saitama Prefectural University, Occupational Therapy, instructor, 保健医療福祉学部, 講師 (80315720)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
IMOTO Katumi Saitama Prefectural University, Occupational Therapy, instructor, 保健医療福祉学部, 講師 (90336496)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2005 – 2006
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| Project Status |
Completed (Fiscal Year 2006)
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| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,000,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,000,000)
Fiscal Year 2006: ¥400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥400,000)
Fiscal Year 2005: ¥1,600,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,600,000)
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| Keywords | The Mentally Ill / Life Stories / Self Concept / Narratives / 認識 / 関係性 |
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| Research Abstract |
The purpose of the study was to answer the two questions ; a) what are the difficulties the mentally ill face throughout their normalization processes? b) what coping strategies they employ in order to combat identified difficulties? Thirteen informants participated in the study to narrate life stories. For the first question ; the participants identified treatment not with dignity as the most difficult. They stated that the difficulty was not their illness, but the fact that they had not been treated with dignity. The participants identified treatments they received in a uncaring manner as the most difficult thing they had to persevere. The following were specific difficulties they faced: a) medical staff's oblivious or uncaring manner toward the participants' aspirations in future ; b) shattered dreams of getting back to normal life that included having regular jobs and getting married : c) treated as inadequate adults by medical staff ; d) regarded as idling individuals by co-workers at work ; and e) having to display behaviors as defense mechanism in an attempt to conceal the conditions in desperation. As a result, the participants regarded themselves as "valueless existence". Some of them were, however, able to transform themselves into "valued beings" because of the following factors : a) knowing their diagnoses ; b) facing with reality ; and c) having a good support system of physicians and co-workers they could trust. Until then, the participants were subject to being ordered. Instead of being told what to do including drug compliance, they started to gain their dependence including drug adherence, thanks to the support group with whom they shared their illness experiences. Through narrating their stories, they were able to develop a new self-concept.
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Report
(3 results)
Research Products
(3 results)
