Socialization, adversity, and growth in the life narratives of persons with serious mental illness: an exploratory qualitative study

ABSTRACT

Background

Life narratives are an underutilized mechanism to understand experiences of people diagnosed with serious mental illnesses (SMI). Understanding one’s life can help form a narrative identity (i.e. one’s integrated, internalized life story), which helps individuals make sense of their lives, sense of self, and relationships with other people. This increased awareness can thus enable effective self-management and living a meaningful life. The purpose of this exploratory study was to examine life narrative interviews completed with individuals with SMI. By doing so, we aimed to elucidate important aspects of life narratives and inform narrative identity.

Method

Participants completed a semi-structured interview in which interviewers asked participants to narrate the story of their lives. Interviews of 11 participants were transcribed and analyzed by three independent coders using thematic analysis.

Results

Five themes emerged: (1) Isolation; (2) Adverse Social Interactions; (3) Adverse Life Events; (4) Formative Socialization; and (5) Growth Narratives.

Discussion

Findings from this exploratory study add context and depth to established psychological concepts important in understanding the lives of persons with SMI, including adversity, trauma, and resilience. Further, we hope this study informs psychological treatments, for example with further understanding resilience and recovery.

KEYWORDS:

• serious mental illness
• life narratives
• socialization
• life events
• growth

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Indiana Institute for Medical Research in an award to Paul Lysaker.