How meaningful activities influence the recovery process
ISSN: 1757-0972
Article publication date: 23 May 2018
Issue publication date: 8 August 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore two research questions: how do people with concurrent substance abuse and mental health disorders (concurrent conditions) experience and describe meaningful activities? And how do meaningful activities influence the recovery process?
Design/methodology/approach
This qualitative study uses an explorative and interpretive design in a phenomenological-hermeneutic approach. Transcribed interviews are analysed using a phenomenological-hermeneutic method for researching lived experience. The study was submitted to the Norwegian Center for Research Data where it was approved (Case No. 54661).
Findings
Structural analysis resulted in three overarching themes: achieving a positive identity through actions and feeling worthwhile; physically outside but inside the norms of society, and idleness, isolation, and obstacles on the road to recovery. Meaningful activities, considered a cornerstone in the recovery process, vary widely and are primarily described in social contexts, thereby confirming the significance of social aspects of recovery in addition to recovery as an individual journey. The findings also show that experiencing meaningful activities contributes to recovery capital and the development of recovery-promotive identities.
Research limitations/implications
The study consisted of a small sample size, recruited at one location which served as a primary research limitation.
Practical implications
This paper provides insights for health care practitioners and health care decision makers regarding the importance of meaningful activities viewed through a recovery perspective.
Originality/value
Few studies to date have used a comprehensive approach to describe the influence of experiencing meaningful activities on the recovery process.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the participants who willingly and selflessly shared their life experiences, allowing this study to be conducted. The main author thanks Professor Larry Davidson at Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health for a welcoming stay and for his helpful ideas on the analysis process. This study was reported to the regional committees for medical and health research ethics (Case No. 2017/865 C), which deemed this study not to cover the scope of the Health Research Act. The study was instead submitted to the Norwegian Center for Research Data where it was approved (Case No. 54661). Lastly, we would like to thank Editage (www.editage.com) for English language editing. The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research. This study was performed without funding.
Citation
Nordaunet, O.M. and Sælør, K.T. (2018), "How meaningful activities influence the recovery process", Advances in Dual Diagnosis, Vol. 11 No. 3, pp. 114-125. https://doi.org/10.1108/ADD-01-2018-0002
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited