Thoughts of young adults with Down syndrome.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to obtain information about the thoughts of young adults with Down syndrome through interviews of them. METHODS: The numbers of participants were 4 and 7 in order to group interviews and individual interviews. They were recruited through the local Association of Parents of Down syndrome. The study incorporated a qualitative descriptive exploratory design to clarify the actual conditions of the lives young adults with Down syndrome and their own thoughts. RESULTS: Through analysis, six themes emerged: 1) thoughts about work, 2) existence of friends, 3) how to spend leisure time, 4) meaning of disability, 5) relationships with people, and 6) future dreams. CONCLUSIONS: 1) Although young adults with Down syndrome are serious about their work, it is difficult for them to make friends at work. However, they recognized people at work as their comrades and were encouraged by being spoken to by these people. 2) Although they had few opportunities to engage in activities with their friends, they looked forward to the contact with their friends. 3) In their leisure time, they often spent time alone, listening to CDs, or watching YouTube. 4) Four of the participants knew that they had Down syndrome, but they did not deny that fact.

Experiences of community-dwelling persons recovering from severe mental illness.

This qualitative study explored experiences of recovery from severe mental illness based on semi-structured interviews with sixteen persons diagnosed with schizophrenia spectrum disorders using psychiatric rehabilitation facilities. The participants' transcripts revealed two major themes: (1) ongoing efforts to live better and (2) inconsistent self-acceptance as a person living with a mental illness. The participants were aware of their responsibility to live with integrity. They all had hopes and goals, were able to respond to social cues, and considered what they could do independently. They wanted to be recognized as people who adapted successfully in society while inconsistently perceiving themselves as either sick or healthy. It is necessary to examine approaches that support the identities of persons who have been treated for schizophrenia and allow them to live comfortable within their communities.

Female families' experiences of caring for persons with schizophrenia.

The caring experiences of female families of persons with schizophrenia were described through exploring the families' descriptions of their experiences. Focus group interviews were conducted with 11 family caregivers. According to content analysis, the experiences revealed five major themes: early family experiences, family perceptions of illness and relatives with schizophrenia, family burden and suffering, family attitudes toward relatives with schizophrenia, and family thoughts about society and mental health resources. Also, the families had strength to overcome considerable adversity. It is needed for professionals to listen to family caregivers' narratives carefully and improve the support by focusing on accepting their experiences and histories with persons with schizophrenia.

Sense of coherence and quality of life in family caregivers of persons with schizophrenia living in the community.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the sense of coherence (SOC) and quality of life (QOL) of caregivers of persons with schizoprenia. Thirty-four families were investigated using the SOC-13, the 26-item World Health Organization Quality of Life, and an interview guide. Family caregivers in their 50s, 60s, and 70s with higher SOC scores showed higher QOL scores; older groups showed higher mean SOC and QOL scores; and a significant difference in the scores for the environment domain was observed among the 3 groups. SOC was considered to be influenced by the family caregivers' age, educational level, duration of ilness, and whether they live with the patients.

Subjective experiences of husbands of spouses with schizophrenia: an analysis of the husbands' descriptions of their experiences.

The caregiving experiences of husbands living with spouses with schizophrenia were described through exploring husbands' descriptions of their experiences. Twelve husbands participated in the study. According to content analysis, the husbands' experience revealed six major themes: identification and acceptance of the disease by the husbands, past and present experience with wives with schizophrenia, the roles and burdens of husbands, marital relationships and the presence of the wife for husbands, social resources, participation in the community and society, and perspectives on the future. Based on the bond of marriage established through living together and mutual trust between couples, the husbands aim to share life experiences with their wives.