Abstract

Contentment is a universally lived experience that is inexplicably intertwined with health and quality of life. The aims of this humanbecoming hermeneutic study were to identify the essence of the experience of contentment, to contribute to knowledge about humanbecoming, and to contribute to the knowledge base of nursing. The source of data collection was the text of Songs of the Gorilla Nation: My Journey through Autism. Through a hermeneutic process of discoursing with penetrating engagement, interpreting with quiescent beholding, and understanding with inspiring envisaging the structure of the lived experience of contentment was illuminated in the text. The finding is that contentment is enduring serenity unfolding with inspiring unburdening as cherished convictions arise amid disharmony. This finding is comprised of three core concepts: enduring serenity, cherished convictions, and inspiring unburdening. This answers the research question: What is the structure of the lived experience of contentment as described in the text of Songs of the Gorilla Nation: Living with Autism. The findings are discussed in relation to how they enhance understanding of contentment and humanbecoming and how they can inform practice and future research.

Description

This dissertation has also been disseminated through the ProQuest Dissertations and Theses database. Dissertation/thesis number: 3372255; ProQuest document ID: 304921836. The author still retains copyright.

Author Details

Susan Agnes Bonis, PhD, RN

Sigma Membership

Eta Nu

Type

Dissertation

Format Type

Text-based Document

Study Design/Type

Phenomenology

Research Approach

Other

Keywords:

Living with Austistic Spectrum Disorder, Nursing ASD Patients, Community Nursing

Advisor

M. Christine King

Degree

PhD

Degree Grantor

University of Massachusetts Amherst

Degree Year

2009

Rights Holder

All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.

All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository.

All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.

Review Type

None: Degree-based Submission

Acquisition

Proxy-submission

Date of Issue

2020-04-15

Full Text of Presentation

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