Thesis
The emotional experience of the caregiver: an arts-based heuristic inquiry
Master of Arts (M.A.), Drexel University
Jun 2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/etd-6769
Abstract
The purpose of this arts-based heuristic inquiry was to recognize and explore the emotional responses a caregiver has throughout the course of caring for a loved one in end-of-life care. The researcher utilized Moustakas' six-phase process of heuristic inquiry in order to better understand her own emotions surrounding her personal caregiving situation and provide suggestions for future research concerned with like topics. As this was a heuristic study of a particularly personal focus, the researcher was the only subject in the research. Data collection for this study commenced over a 40-day period, during which the researcher continued care for her loved one receiving end-of-life care. Engaging in the six phases of heuristic research, as outlined by Moustakas, the researcher unearthed five distinct themes relating to her experience. Both visual and written data collections, contained in a bound journal, were analyzed to derive these themes. Themes that evidenced in the visual data were distinct color combinations, variations in style, and narrative storytelling. Themes that evidenced in the journal entries were the four primary emotions, as well as physical and mental exhaustion. Results showed that the themes emerging in the visual data were concerned with both artistic form and content, while the themes in the written data contained explicitly stated emotions surrounding the researcher's experience. Results showed that themes emerging in both the visual and written data were connected by the researcher's emotions; the visual data allowed for collection of latent emotions and the written data allowed for collection of perceived emotions.
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Details
- Title
- The emotional experience of the caregiver
- Creators
- Natasha Dubinsky - DU
- Contributors
- Michele Rattigan (Advisor) - Drexel University (1970-)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Master of Arts (M.A.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Resource Type
- Thesis
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Creative Arts Therapies; College of Nursing and Health Professions; Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 6769; 991014632325404721