Abstract
People living with a mental illness encompass a range of educational achievements and occupational roles; however, research examining the topic of career and professional occupation is sparse. This qualitative study used in-depth interviews with six participants to explore the career experiences of people diagnosed with a mental illness who work in a professional occupation. The study was framed within a narrative methodology and theoretical concepts from an occupational science perspective. Analysis of life circumstances, social contexts and the presence of an engaging occupation highlighted key influences on the construction of a professional career. A major finding of this study was that career and work were highly valued and determinedly pursued: this related to working in roles that people enjoyed, valued, felt valued in undertaking and in which they were able to further develop their skills and/or qualifications. Understanding the meaning of career for people living with a mental illness may offer important insight on their occupational needs.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 446-458 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | Journal of Occupational Science |
Volume | 22 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2 Oct 2015 |
Keywords
- Career
- Lived experience
- Mental illness
- Narrative inquiry
- Professional occupation