Thesis
Social choices and social experiences of people with tetriplegic spinal cord injury
Southern Cross University
Masters by Thesis, Southern Cross University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.25918/thesis.522
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Abstract
There are many potential limitations on social participation, inclusion and autonomy of people with a disability (Cordier et al., 2017; Craig et al., 2015; ).
This research was undertaken in order to understand the social choices and social experiences of people with tetraplegic spinal cord injury (SCI). The research aim was addressed in two major phases.
Phase One involved a critical interpretive literature review to investigate the range of factors that might influence the social choices and social experiences of adults with tetraplegic SCI. Systematic search strategies and analytical tools were applied to identify relevant literature and the methodological approach, key findings and frames of reference employed by the researchers which then informed the next phase of this inquiry. The literature review also identified the dearth of research exploring the first person accounts of people with SCI and people such as family members, friends and primary care workers sharing and supporting people with SCI in social experiences.
In Phase Two of the research an interpretive phenomenological investigation was undertaken into the social choices and social experiences of people with SCI from the perspective of people with SCI, allies, family members, primary care staff and a local council access officer involved in supporting social experiences. Eight people were recruited to participate in in-depth open ended interviews conducted and recorded online due to COVID-19 restrictions. Transcribed interviews were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis (Charlick et al., 2015).
The Social Relational Model of disability (Reindal, 2008) identified as providing an explanatory framework that encompasses the diverse factors identified in the literature, and the empirical research findings as influencing the heightened risk of social exclusion experienced by people with SCI. Enhancing social choices and social experiences will not only involve addressing impairment effects and the flexibility and safety of personal supports, but capacity building initiatives to address the inclusivity of community environments and the structural inequalities underpinning employment levels, poverty and the continuing prevalence of negative attitudes towards people with disability. No efforts to enhance the social choices and social experiences of people with SCI can be fully informed without the perspectives of people with disability themselves and those with first hand experiences of the impact of inequity and impairment effects. Such perspectives are needed to inform the provision of personal supports, the inclusivity or otherwise of community environments and efforts to address the structural inequalities, policy or support initiatives that may impact people with SCI regarding their own experiences of social choice and social interaction.
Details
- Title
- Social choices and social experiences of people with tetriplegic spinal cord injury
- Creators
- Christine Farrell
- Contributors
- Jacqui Yoxall (Supervisor) - Southern Cross UniversityMichelle Donelly (Supervisor) - Southern Cross University
- Awarding Institution
- Southern Cross University; Masters by Thesis
- Theses
- Masters by Thesis, Southern Cross University
- Publisher
- Southern Cross University
- Number of pages
- 183
- Identifiers
- 991013316328502368
- Copyright
- © Christine Farrell 2024
- Academic Unit
- Faculty of Health
- Resource Type
- Thesis