Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstruction
Purpose Stressful life events have the capacity to disrupt an individual’s worldview and life goals, leading to existential questions and identity loss. The subjective perception of identity is intricately linked with quality of life (QoL), and how individuals derive meaning from these stressful lif...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2024-12-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2330117 |
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| _version_ | 1846124643400810496 |
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| author | Lotte Kring Evald Iversen Bjarne Ibsen Michael Fehsenfeld |
| author_facet | Lotte Kring Evald Iversen Bjarne Ibsen Michael Fehsenfeld |
| author_sort | Lotte Kring |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose Stressful life events have the capacity to disrupt an individual’s worldview and life goals, leading to existential questions and identity loss. The subjective perception of identity is intricately linked with quality of life (QoL), and how individuals derive meaning from these stressful life events significantly influences their well-being. This article explored the impact of stressful life events on individuals’ QoL, and examined the potential for enhancing QoL through meaning making and narrative reconstruction. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 individuals reporting diminished QoL and analysed using thematic analysis. Results The study reveals that stressful life events confront interviewees with the vulnerability of their values in life and the limits of their control, leading them to question their own beliefs and purpose in life. Consequently, these events prompt individuals to reconstruction their narratives to adapt to new life circumstances. Conclusions The study suggests that “securing the base,” including strong social relations and security in economic and housing conditions, is a prerequisite for enhancing QoL. The insights on “the base” have profound implications for QoL. Recognizing their fundamental importance, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and social service providers can support mechanisms to enhance these foundations, improving overall well-being for individuals and communities. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-45afc0cc4d3a4cce8ef82e4cbcad8b1b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1748-2623 1748-2631 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being |
| spelling | doaj-art-45afc0cc4d3a4cce8ef82e4cbcad8b1b2024-12-13T15:19:02ZengTaylor & Francis GroupInternational Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being1748-26231748-26312024-12-0119110.1080/17482631.2024.23301172330117Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstructionLotte Kring0Evald Iversen1Bjarne Ibsen2Michael Fehsenfeld3University of Southern DenmarkUniversity of Southern DenmarkUniversity of Southern DenmarkUniversity of AarhusPurpose Stressful life events have the capacity to disrupt an individual’s worldview and life goals, leading to existential questions and identity loss. The subjective perception of identity is intricately linked with quality of life (QoL), and how individuals derive meaning from these stressful life events significantly influences their well-being. This article explored the impact of stressful life events on individuals’ QoL, and examined the potential for enhancing QoL through meaning making and narrative reconstruction. Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 individuals reporting diminished QoL and analysed using thematic analysis. Results The study reveals that stressful life events confront interviewees with the vulnerability of their values in life and the limits of their control, leading them to question their own beliefs and purpose in life. Consequently, these events prompt individuals to reconstruction their narratives to adapt to new life circumstances. Conclusions The study suggests that “securing the base,” including strong social relations and security in economic and housing conditions, is a prerequisite for enhancing QoL. The insights on “the base” have profound implications for QoL. Recognizing their fundamental importance, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and social service providers can support mechanisms to enhance these foundations, improving overall well-being for individuals and communities.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2330117identitynarrative meaning makingquality of lifeself-efficacystressful life events |
| spellingShingle | Lotte Kring Evald Iversen Bjarne Ibsen Michael Fehsenfeld Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstruction International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health & Well-Being identity narrative meaning making quality of life self-efficacy stressful life events |
| title | Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstruction |
| title_full | Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstruction |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstruction |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstruction |
| title_short | Exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life: meaning making and narrative reconstruction |
| title_sort | exploring the impact of stressful life events on quality of life meaning making and narrative reconstruction |
| topic | identity narrative meaning making quality of life self-efficacy stressful life events |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2024.2330117 |
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