The patient–body relationship and the “lived experience” of a facial burn injury: a phenomenological inquiry of early psychosocial adjustment

Figures & data

Table 1 Summary of demographic data

Characteristics	Mean (range)
Age, years	43 (29–55)
Total burn size, %TBSA	16.3% (0.8%–55%)
%TBSA grafted	11.8% (0%–55%)
Total number of operative procedures	1.5 (0–4)
Length of stay in hospital, days	20.3 (3–60)
Length of stay in ICU, days	7.8 (0–24)
Period of intubation in ICU, days	6.7 (0–21)

Abbreviations: ICU, intensive care unit; TBSA, total body surface area.

Table 2 Colaizzi’s method of data analysis

Colaizzi’s method of data analysis consists of seven steps

1. Read and reread all the participants’ verbatim transcripts of the phenomena to acquire a feeling for them.

2. Significant statements or phrases are extracted from participants’ transcripts pertaining directly to the research phenomena.

3. Formulated meanings are constructed from the significant statements.

4. Formulated meanings are arranged into themes.

5. Incorporation of the results into a rich and exhaustive description of the lived experience.

6. Validation of the exhaustive description from the participants involved in the research.

7. Incorporation of any new or pertinent data obtained from participants’ validation, and adapted to attain congruence with the lived experience of the participants’ studied.

Table 3 Cluster and emergent themes and accompanying description

Cluster theme	Emergent theme	Description
1. Early self-image changes and an increased body awareness	A. Relationship to self/other	The challenges of adjusting to an altered self and body image and postburn injury.
2. Change to interpersonal relationships
3. Altruism		The impact of these changes on how the participants viewed themselves and how it affected interactions and relationships with others.
4. Hopefulness about recovery	B. Coping	Psychological tools and strategies utilized to assist with the physical and psychological adjustment to the burn injury.
5. Positive rationalizations, resilience, and reflection
6. Humor as a coping strategy
7. Retelling the traumatic tale: fear, panic, and psychological shock	C. Meaning-making	Making sense of and coming to terms with a major trauma and a potentially life-threatening event: integrating this and, at times, past traumas into a narrative.
8. Trying to make sense of the accident
9. History of previous trauma
10. Spirituality