WARRIOR VOICES: A NARRATIVE INQUIRY INTO THE EXPERIENCES OF MEN LIVING WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

<p>This narrative inquiry delves into the lives of six men, including the researcher, who have multiple sclerosis (MS). Through in-depth interviews, the researcher asks participants to describe their life before diagnosis, the diagnosis process, and the construction of a “new normal” after diagnosis. This research provides insights into how participants make sense of the disease, how they cope with the ongoing changes to their bodies, their relationships, their careers, and their perceptions of their masculinity. Analyzing the narratives provides insight into the variability of MS types and symptoms, and various coping mechanisms. It supports the idea that each participant should adjust to the ever-changing nature of their disability. Drawing on the “warrior” metaphor, the researcher conceptualizes life with MS as a battle and expands the metaphor from a physical struggle to a spiritual battle to accommodate the changes the disease wrought </p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Curriculum, Advocacy, and Policy

Year dc:date.available

2024

Author dc:creator

• Petropulos, James

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dr. Terry Smith
• Dr. Vito Dipinto
• Dr. Shaunti Knauth

• Multiple Sclerosis
• Narrative
• Inquiry
• Disability and Equity in Education
• Education

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/819

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-1878