Making Sense of Spiritual, Metaphysical, and Eschatological Elements in Delusions: A Qualitative Study Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Spiritual, metaphysical, or eschatological elements in delusions (SMEDs) are frequent and often subjectively regarded as profound transformational experiences, similar to mystical experiences. This study aimed (1) to explore how SMEDs are experienced and in which aspects they are similar to mystical experiences and (2) to investigate how individuals make sense of SMED. METHODS: Seven participants were interviewed, and their expressions were analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: We found that SMEDs were similar to mystical experiences with regard to alterations in perception of space, time, and unity. Furthermore, SMEDs were accompanied by a sense of enlightenment that however remained ineffable. SMEDs were interpreted from different viewpoints, i.e., as a source of ontological insight, as a mental health issue, as an inspiration for a new orientation in the world, and, for some participants, as an example of the limits of knowledge. Making sense of SMED appeared to follow a lively internal dialogue in which various, sometimes contradictory positions were reflected upon. Participants usually struggled to align the ostensible ontological significance of SMED to the dominating illness explanation. CONCLUSION: SMEDs have similarities to mystical experiences, but integrating SMED into one's own life is challenging. We propose a philosophical, non-pathological interpretation of SMED derived from a novel perspective on mystical experience which may also have some therapeutic utility.

Experience of compassion-based practice in mindfulness for health for individuals with persistent pain.

Purpose of the Study: Research indicates that acquiring compassion is an integral part to positive outcomes to Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI), yet there is both theoretic and empirical literature suggesting that people with persistent pain are more likely to experience challenges and distress when engaging compassion-based practices. Mindfulness for Health is a standardised MBI for people with persistent pain and health conditions. This study sought to explore the positive, neutral and difficult experiences of compassion-based practice and meditation for participants in Mindfulness for Health to further understand implications and risks for participants of MBI's. Method and Design: A qualitative design using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis was applied to explore how participants understood of the experience of compassion-based practice and the meaning they gave to it. Eight participants who had completed the Mindfulness for Health from four separate groups were interviewed about their experience. Results: Five master themes were identified 'turning away from self-with-pain', 'self-with-pain experienced as shameful', 'facilitating change', 'turning towards self-with-pain', and 'accepting self'. Participants identified both perceived positive changes and difficult emotional experiences during the meditation practice, which they related to the context of compassion in their past and present life. Conclusions: Developing compassion is an important part of Mindfulness for Health, which is salient for participants as both a challenging and potentially valuable experience. Acquisition of mindfulness skills, supporting group dynamics and modelling compassion are understood as helpful in overcoming personal barriers and challenging experiences. Further research is needed to understand processes involved and explore the experience of non-completers.

The impact, perceptions and needs of parents of children with epidermolysis bullosa.

BACKGROUND:  Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a rare, incurable genodermatosis that presents with blistering and skin fragility. Complications can be localised or generalised, limited to the skin or have systemic effects resulting in death. Caring for a child with this painful condition can have a profound effect on the quality of life of parents and the family. There is currently no published research on the lived experience of parents caring for a child with EB in a resource-limited environment in Africa. METHOD:  This qualitative research used interpretative phenomenological analysis with the aim of understanding the lived experiences of parents caring for children with EB. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 participants between May 2022 and October 2023. Guba's framework of trustworthiness was used to ensure rigour. RESULTS:  Seven experiential themes with associated sub-themes were identified. The themes were (1) grappling with understanding EB, (2) the psychological experience, (3) living with the responsibility, (4) barriers to feeling supported, (5) changing relational dynamics, (6) experience of healthcare professionals and (7) parental needs. CONCLUSION:  Parents caring for children with EB face emotional, physical, psychosocial and financial challenges. Addressing parents' needs and concerns will go a long way in decreasing this burden. A biopsychosocial approach with an awareness of cultural context is essential for family-centred holistic EB care.Contribution: This is the first study in Africa that focussed on the lived experiences of parents caring for a child with EB.

The experience of living with vitiligo in Nigeria: A participatory Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Vitiligo is a visible depigmenting skin condition, particularly noticeable on Black skin. There is widespread misunderstanding of the condition. Using a participatory form of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), we conducted eight semi-structured interviews with Nigerians living with vitiligo. Participants described their initial attempts to understand the condition, which typically drew on both traditional illness beliefs, religious influences, and the biomedical disease model. All participants reported experiencing marked stigmatization and discrimination. Participants experienced distress associated with thoughts about the personal meaning of the disease including its impact on their appearance and from concerns about anticipated and direct discrimination. Despite the wide-ranging impact, the participants' narratives also contained references to the development of strategies that maintained wellbeing. This study provides valuable insights into the role of faith and traditional beliefs in both the experience and management of vitiligo in Nigeria. These insights can be used to develop individual and community interventions.

Description of Nomophobia Among College Students: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Background: Nomophobia is a situational phobia evoked by unavailability of smart phone or the thought of the possibility of not having it, not being able to use it and losing it. Currently used instruments for assessment of severity of nomophobia offers challenges of administration and have limited applicability in the Indian setting. Therefore, this study was aimed to depict and understand the lived experience of college students with nomophobia and making sense of it. Methods: This interpretative phenomenological analysis research design study was carried out on 17 undergraduate students belonging to different academic streams including Science, Social science and Commerce from the three study sites situated in different locations of India. An in-depth interview guide was prepared. The students who scored more than 90 on nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q Questionnaire) were included in the study. The data was recorded in audio and video format, it was transcribed, and translated from Hindi to English language. Coding was done and the theme were extracted. Results: The findings identified six superordinate themes: Digital Obsession, Digital Compulsion, Approval Motivation, Digital Intensement, Digital Well-being and Insight. Conclusion: The lived experiences of the students with nomophobia had explicitly shown a strong inclination towards the smartphone. They also focused on some of the significant aids provided by the smartphone. Further the intensive use of the smartphone was posing major challenges to the students when they were away from it.

An exploration of the emotional impact of working in an adult hospice service for Irish healthcare professionals.

PURPOSE: An ageing population and a global pandemic has placed greater demands on palliative care services. Numerous studies describe the patient experience in palliative care, however, few explore the healthcare professional's experience of caring in this setting. This study explored the emotional challenges faced by palliative care professionals working in adult hospice services in Ireland. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH: A narrative phenomenological approach was adopted, using interpretative phenomenological analysis to analyse results from five participants' semi-structured interviews. FINDINGS: The type of challenge experienced reflected the impact it had on the participant's emotional wellbeing. Challenges perceived as achievable contributed to high levels of emotional wellbeing. These challenges often offered the opportunity for skill development and elicited positive feelings. Challenges perceived as uncontrollable negatively impacted the professional's emotional wellbeing and increased their risk of burnout. Examples of this included the shift in service provision and professional expectations. The challenges palliative care professionals experience on a daily basis can negatively or positively impact their emotional wellbeing. CONCLUSION: Overall, this study highlighted challenges and their impacts experienced by palliative care professionals, illustrating key areas for improvement to prioritise staff wellbeing.

Supporting Individuals With an Acquired Brain Injury: An Interpretative Phenomenological Study Exploring the Everyday Lives of Caregivers.

Acquired brain injury (ABI) is one of the most common causes of disability and death globally. Support from informal caregivers is critical to the well-being and quality of life of people with ABI and supports the sustainability of global health and social care systems. This study presents an in-depth qualitative analysis of the experiences of eight British informal caregivers supporting someone with ABI. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with narratives transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three superordinate themes were generated: making sense of brain injury; being consumed by caregiving; and, the changing self. These data highlight the impact of caregiving on the caregiver's illness perceptions and sense of self. By identifying negative and positive changes in the caregiver's sense of self, and dilemmas regarding the care recipient's behaviour, we address less understood aspects of caregiver experiences. Caregiving can pose both challenges to the caregiver's sense of identity and an opportunity for self-growth. Some caregivers exhibit resilience throughout their journey, with post-traumatic growth more apparent in the later stages of caregiving. Illness perceptions shape caregiver well-being and family dynamics and indicate the need to address stigmatisation and discrimination faced by ABI survivors and caregivers. Although some caregivers acquired positive meaning and enrichment from their caregiving, previously described challenges of ABI caregiving are supported. Overall, our findings support the need for timely psychological/mental health support for caregivers, caregiver education, and the provision of short breaks from caregiving.

Meaning of working for older nurses and nursing assistants in Sweden: A qualitative study.

Meaningful work is related to the motivation to continue to work in older ages and later retirement. This qualitative study addresses calls for further research on the meaning of working for older workers using the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach to explore in-depth the dimensions underlying the subjective experience of meaningful work among 27 nurses and nursing assistants aged 55-75 years. The findings show that work was perceived as a primary source of: (1) personal identity (2) purpose and contribution, (3) competence and accomplishment, (4) social contacts and belongingness, (5) activity, routines and purposeful use of time, and (6) economic security and freedom. These qualitative findings may be applied in interventions aiming to encourage extended working lives in key welfare occupations, which are facing significant staff shortages.

A very, very lonely, unmagical time. The lived experience of perinatal anxiety: A longitudinal interpretative phenomenological analysis.

PROBLEM: Minimal longitudinal qualitative evidence examining lived experience of anxiety over the perinatal continuum limits holistic understanding of the course of antenatal and postnatal anxiety. BACKGROUND: Perinatal anxiety has deleterious effects on the mother and infant and is more commonly experienced yet less well investigated than perinatal depression. AIM AND METHOD: To explore women's experiences living with perinatal anxiety to increase understanding of the condition; inform support given by midwives and other health professionals and provide practice, education, and research recommendations. Five women were interviewed at three timepoints, producing 15 datasets. Data was analysed using longitudinal interpretative phenomenological analysis. FINDINGS: Nine Group Experiential Themes emerged: the anxious mother, transformation, sets of ears and the anxious pregnancy (antenatal); baby as external focus, returning to oneself and the emotional unknown (early postnatal); and moving on, and shifting sands (late postnatal). Three Longitudinal Experiential Concepts explicated lived experience over time: maternal eyes, transforming existence, and emotional kaleidoscope. The lived experience of perinatal anxiety was revealed as socially constructed, with relationships with self, others, and the world key. The collision between anxiety and motherhood as social constructs provides perinatal anxiety with its unique characteristics. CONCLUSION: Midwives and other healthcare professionals should understand the significance of perinatal anxiety, enabling disclosure of stigmatising and uncomfortable feelings without judgement. Research examining whether perinatal specific screening tools should be used by midwives and exploring the relationship between perinatal anxiety and depression is recommended. Education for clinicians on the significance of perinatal anxiety is essential.

Cultural and Religious Equity and Disparity in the Group Climate Experience of Moroccan Girls in Dutch Residential Youth Care Settings.

BACKGROUND: The group climate within residential youth care institutions is considered a transactional process, both within a group of youth from various cultural backgrounds and between them and their group workers. The ongoing interaction between the cultural characteristics of these girls may influence the quality of the group climate. This study aimed to provide an in-depth account of the living group climate experiences and perceptions of Dutch girls with a Moroccan cultural background in Dutch residential groups. METHOD: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed to explore the girls' group climate experiences. RESULT: Three major themes emerged, namely (a) level of involvement of Moroccan girls in their living group, (b) perceptions of Moroccan girls' sense of belonging in a living group, and (c) cultural and religious equality or disparity results in two interaction patterns. The findings revealed that equality or disparity in language, culture, and religion affect Moroccan girls' experiences and perceptions of the living group climate. A crucial finding was that cultural and religious disparity leads to interaction patterns wherein the girls pre-emptively exclude themselves from receiving support from native group workers. CONCLUSION: Professionals must be aware of the cultural and religious dynamics, including the interplay and impact of cultural and religious equality and disparity, influencing Moroccan girls' group climate experiences.

Experience of naturally occurring peer support among people using psychiatric day-care in China: an interpretative phenomenology approach.

Introduction: China presently does not have an established peer support system, and the efforts of peer support workers are not acknowledged in the context of the growing global trend of community-based mental rehabilitation. This study aims to examine the first-hand experiences of persons who participate in psychiatric day-care facilities in Shanghai, China, and receive support from their peers. The goal is to gain a better understanding of how these informal peer support programs function and provide valuable knowledge for the establishment of more structured peer support programs that align with Chinese social culture. Methods: A total of 14 participants attending psychiatric day-care centres were selected for face-to-face semi-structured in-depth interviews using snowball sampling. The interviews took place between July 2021 and February 2022. The text data of the interview were acquired through transcription and then augmented using the interview scripts and additional resources. The data were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis until the themes reached saturation. Results: A total of three overarching themes and eight corresponding sub-themes were produced: 1. reconstructing a social network: an ordinary interpersonal connection, becoming and conducting oneself, proceeding the process of adaptation in the company of peers; 2. balance and multiple roles within the relationship: selective self-exposure, managing proximity and distance; 3. sense of meaning and sense of community: supporting others while empowering oneself, love as expanding consciousness, advocating for the notion of group identity. Discussion: This study is the initial examination of the contact and naturally occurring peer support that takes place among individuals in psychiatric day-care centres in China. The study's findings revealed that participants interact with others who have undergone similar conditions in the day-care setting, enabling them to rebuild an important social network. It is crucial to consider the possible benefits of peer support, assess the obstacles, and facilitate the personal recovery of individuals with mental disorders using the theory of recovery.

Deliberate and Self-Conscious Adaptation of Eye-Contact by Autistic Adults.

Eye gaze is widely recognised as an important element in managing social interactions, receiving information from others and communicating information about ourselves. Atypical eye gaze is one of the characteristic hallmarks of autism. Experimental research has contributed significantly to our knowledge of eye-gaze in autism, however, there is a lack of research exploring how autistic individuals describe and understand the phenomenological experience of eye-gaze and eye-contact. The current study explores the subjective experience of deliberate and self-conscious adaptation of eye-contact by autistic adults. Nine autistic adults were interviewed individually about their experiences of eye-contact. Audio recordings were transcribed, and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Themes included gaining awareness of eye contact differences through feedback from others, the interaction of motivation to make eye-contact with a sense of autistic identity, difficulties listening when making eye contact, the importance of familiarity of conversational partners, and strategies to make eye-contact. This study makes an important and novel contribution to understanding the experience of eye-contact differences from the perspective of autistic adults themselves, highlighting the phenomenology of eye-contact as potentially aversive and the social pressure to engage in it, and exploring factors influencing effective eye-contact, with implications for psychological intervention.

Referral pathways to early intervention services for psychosis and their influence on perceptions of care: An interpretive phenomenological analysis.

AIM: Most young adults experiencing psychosis enter early intervention services (EIS) via inpatient and emergency departments. These experiences are suggested to negatively impact their views of treatment and engagement in EIS. However, limited research has examined the impact of young adults' prior help-seeking experiences on these outcomes. The present study aimed to explore how young adults engaged in EIS have experienced initial help-seeking and make sense of these experiences in the context of their current treatment. METHODS: Using an interpretative phenomenological analysis approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 young adults (mean age = 24.83) within their first 3-12 months of treatment in EIS. Interviews aimed to examine their experiences of help-seeking and referral to EIS as well as the impact of these experiences on their subsequent perception of, and engagement with EIS. RESULTS: 3 superordinate themes emerged: (1) Navigating the Maze of Healthcare (2) Dignity and (3) Impact of Help-Seeking and Referral Experiences. Participants with referral pathways involving urgent care services described more adversity during their referral pathway and tended to describe help-seeking experiences as contributing to negative views towards EIS and diminished engagement in treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The impact of early negative experiences with healthcare on views towards EIS and engagement is evident in participants' accounts. Sense making was further contextualized by participants' illness insight, degree of recovery, and social support throughout experiences. Emergent themes highlight the need for psychiatric services to emphasize service users' dignity and for EIS to provide opportunities for patients to process past negative mental healthcare experiences to strengthen engagement.

Getting Insight to the Lived Emotional Experience of People with Alzheimer's Disease Shortly After Diagnosis: A Phenomenological Approach.

Background: A diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a crucial moment in an individual's existence and represents a major life change that often results in psychological distress, diminish of perceived quality of life, and loss of independence. It is important to better understand the emotional experience of people with dementia to intervene according to their specific needs. Objective: The aim of the research was to get insight to the emotional experience of people with AD shortly after its discovery and the consequences thereof. Methods: A qualitative exploratory design was engaged, and in-depth interviews were conducted with ten French-speaking participants over 70 years recently diagnosed. Interviews were guided by Heideggerian phenomenology about movements in the worldview of individuals. The transcribed data was subjected to interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Following the diagnosis, participants experienced either shock or denial. Emotions felt were unpleasant and disturbing for most of them. Especially when participants were confronted with news concerning the illness, they experienced incomprehension. They engaged in an oscillatory motion of connection and disconnection to establish new meanings of their worldview. Thinking about the past seemed to diminish their worries, to reinforce the possibility to fulfil a significant place in their existence and to maintain their autonomy. Conclusions: When participants could express their emotional experience and their concerns, they regained a sense of control in their life that seemed du reduce their distress. With this insight, intervention could be adapted to the specific needs of people with AD to enhance their self-determination and quality of life.

Adapting Amidst Vulnerability: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Study on Gay Men Living With HIV.

BACKGROUND: HIV represents a "biographical disruption", interrupting the continuity of life and fostering a sense of vulnerability. The transition of HIV into a chronic condition, coupled with extended life expectancy, necessitates significant lifestyle adjustments, making adaptation and navigation through uncertainties essential. METHOD: Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to investigate the lived experiences and adaptation processes of gay men in Greece who are living with HIV. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven HIV-positive gay men, recruited from two Greek NGOs that support individuals living with HIV. Investigator triangulation was used to interpret textual material, heightening credibility and reducing bias, thereby enhancing the findings' reliability. RESULTS: The analysis identified a superordinate theme, "Being Vulnerable Enough: Negotiating Uncertainties and Adapting in the HIV Experience", which encompasses three themes: "The Moment of Division: Fear, Uncertainty, and Vulnerability after an HIV Diagnosis", "Grief and Negotiation: Navigating Daily Life Through the Lens of Loss", and "Reclaiming Self: Shaping 'My HIV Identity' to Fit on My Terms". CONCLUSIONS: The initial shock of HIV diagnosis introduces a sense of vulnerability, with participants confronting fear, despair, and grief over the loss of health and the disruption of their anticipated life flow. Being vulnerable enough enables individuals to adapt to life with HIV by managing uncertainties through creating certainties with small daily decisions, in a non-linear, ongoing process of negotiation and reassessment, without the need to eliminate all uncertainties.

"You go in heavy and you come out light": An interpretative phenomenological analysis of reflective practice experiences in an Irish infant mental health setting.

Reflective practice (RP) is a core component of infant mental health (IMH); however, there is limited published empirical research on IMH practitioner experiences of RP. This two-stage, qualitative, multimodal study explored Irish IMH practitioners' experiences of RP spaces. Visual and verbal data from seven individual interviews and a participatory arts-based focus group with seven participants (eight participants in total, all white Irish females) were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Five group experiential themes (Just get on with it; What should I be bringing to this space?; Who are my "hands"?; Taking a step back; and You go in heavy and you come out light) were generated by the analysis. These were used to construct a developmental and experiential model of learning in an RP space. The themes portray how a practitioner's RP experience can change over time: influenced by prior experiences and practice development stage, practitioners move from initial uncertainty, anxiety, and perceived pressure in a busy workload to developing the trust and ability to be vulnerable in an RP space. Through relationships (supervisor/facilitator or group members), a shared safe space can be created, which addresses practitioners' needs for containment, allowing for experiential learning through a process of transformational moments.

La práctica con reflexión (RP) es un componente central de la salud mental infantil (IMH), sin embargo, existe una limitada investigación empírica publicada sobre las experiencias de RP de los profesionales de la práctica de IMH. Este estudio multimodal, cualitativo, en dos etapas, exploró las experiencias de los espacios de RP de profesionales irlandeses en la práctica de IMH. Se analizó la información visual y verbal de siete entrevistas individuales y un grupo de enfoque participativo con base artística de siete participantes (ocho participantes en total, todas mujeres blancas irlandesas) usando el Análisis Fenomenológico Interpretativo. El análisis generó cinco temas de la experiencia de grupo (Manos a la obra; ¿Qué debo aportar a este espacio?; ¿Quiénes son mis 'manos'?; Dar un paso atrás; y Se comienza pesado y se termina liviano). Estos temas se usaron para construir un modelo de desarrollo y experimental de aprendizaje dentro de un espacio de RP. Los temas describieron cómo la experiencia de RP de un profesional de la práctica puede cambiar a lo largo del tiempo: influida por experiencias previas y un estado de desarrollo práctico, los profesionales de la práctica pasan de la incertidumbre inicial, la ansiedad y la percibida presión dentro de una ocupada carga de trabajo a desarrollar la confianza y la habilidad de ser vulnerable dentro de un espacio de RP. A través de relaciones (supervisor/facilitador o miembros de grupo), se puede crear un espacio seguro compartido, el cual aborda las necesidades de contención de los profesionales de la práctica, permitiendo el aprendizaje experimental a través de un proceso de momentos transformacionales.

"Where Is My Place?" A Qualitative Study of Gay Men's Experiences of Social Support, Relationships and Community in Relation to Psychological Wellbeing and Distress.

This study aimed to understand young gay men's experiences of social support, relationships, community networks, talking about psychological distress, and their impact on distress and wellbeing. Eight verbatim transcriptions from semi-structured interviews with gay men aged 18-35 years were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Three super-ordinate themes were developed; 1) Growing up gay in a straight world: Developmental traumas, regarding men's experiences of homophobic abuse and exclusion and the internalized impact on their identities and identity concealment. 2) Belonging and not belonging within LGBTQ+ communities, encompassing men's varied experiences of LGBTQ+ communities and the corresponding impacts upon their wellbeing. 3) Relational responses to rejection, describing how men made sense of and managed their relationships within the context of the developmental traumas they had experienced growing up as gay men. These findings illuminate the psychological impact of experiencing multiple developmental traumas related to one's identity as a gay man, and how this influences lifelong relational behavior; and how experiences of social support, relationships and LGBTQ+ communities influence men's mental health. They provide a strong rationale for psychological interventions to acknowledge and address gay men's unique and adverse social experiences within their relationships, communities and societies.

The lived experiences of HIV-positive women in rural Zimbabwe: A qualitative focus group study.

BACKGROUND:  The study explored and described the meaning attached to the lived experiences of women living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the rural context of Zimbabwe. Stigma and discrimination negatively impact one's ability to perform the expected social roles, the quality of life, and the efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and reduce HIV-related mortality. Thus, the study aims to understand the meaning attached to the lived experiences of HIV-positive women living in rural areas or villages of Matabeleland South province in Zimbabwe. METHODS:  The study used a qualitative, descriptive, and exploratory design. Four focus group discussions were conducted with 24 HIV-positive rural women living in Matabeleland South province, Zimbabwe. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was adopted to explore and describe the meaning attached to the lived experiences of women living with HIV. RESULTS:  Two interconnected themes were identified in the analysis with their sub-themes. These were: (1) struggle for social belonging, with subthemes - loss of social belonging and reduced access to community-based empowerment opportunities and (2) struggle for maintaining the quality of life with subthemes - lack of need-based community healthcare and food insecurity. CONCLUSION:  Being a woman living with HIV in rural Zimbabwe means a perpetual struggle to maintain one's humanness and quality of life.Contribution: This study's results will support the efforts of the Zimbabwean government to improve the quality of life of HIV-positive women living in rural areas.

The experience of Thai adolescents with depression: A qualitative study.

AIM: People who have depression experience a maelstrom of emotion as they attempt to understand what is happening to them. While the experience has been quite extensively documented in adults and older individuals, there is a great deal less information available about adolescent depression experiences and reactions. The purpose of this study was to investigate the experiences of Thai-adolescents suffering from depression. DESIGN: Interpretative phenomenological analysis. METHOD: Fourteen adolescents were recruited from a secondary school in Chiangrai province, Thailand. Semi-structured interviews were carried out. Interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. RESULTS: The following four themes were identified: (1) struggling to make sense of their situation, (2) feeling down and withdrawing, (3) contemplating self-harm and (4) therapy as a last choice. The results point to the continuing significance of promoting psychoeducation for Thai-adolescents with depression as well as parents, school nurses and health providers while eliminating stigma.

'There is still a part of me that would love to be the old me again', how do adolescents and young adults (AYA) experience cancer-related bodily changes: a phenomenological interview study.

PURPOSE: Due to the increase in both cancer incidence and overall survival rates, more adolescents and young adults (AYAs) have to live with the effects that their cancer diagnosis and following treatments have on their bodies. This qualitative phenomenological study aimed to gain more insight into the way AYAs experience these effects and how they respond to these effects. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews with a sample of 11 AYAs with an age range of 25-41 years at the time of the interview, who were diagnosed with different types of cancer, were conducted. Participants were recruited via social media and patient associations until data saturation was reached. A topic guide with open-ended questions about lived experiences was used. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was performed to analyse the transcripts. RESULTS: We identified six Group Experiential Themes based on different ways AYAs experience their bodies: (1) self-conscious body, (2) vulnerable body, (3) adapting to the body, (4) uncontrollable body, (5) remembering the body and (6) shared bodies. CONCLUSION: This study offers in-depth insight into the bodily experiences of AYAs after cancer and how they respond to these changes from a phenomenological point of view. IMPLICATIONS FOR CANCER SURVIVORS: This knowledge could be beneficial to provide more guidance for AYAs during and after their illness, by focussing on personalised psychological (after)care.