Lived Experiences of Adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis
Core Themes of Lived Experience
The core themes identified are:
- Physical Pain and Discomfort in Daily Functioning
- Peer Interaction and Social Treatment
- Coping Strategies and School Environment Improvements
- Gender-Based Perceptions
These themes represent the shared lived experiences of adolescents with AIS in school settings, focusing on how the condition affects their daily life, relationships, and coping mechanisms.
Describing the Phenomenon
The findings describe the lived experience of AIS as a condition that affects students through continuous physical discomfort, challenges in classroom participation, social awareness of differences, and active coping behaviors. It highlights difficulties in prolonged sitting, carrying school materials, and participating in physical activities, while navigating social interactions and self-awareness.
Research Question Outcomes
The findings show that AIS influences adolescents in three main areas:
- Academic Participation: Pain and discomfort affect focus and activity.
- Social Experience: Teasing and awareness of body differences affect confidence.
- Coping and Adaptation: Students use strategies like posture correction, bracing, and exercises.
Gender differences were also examined, showing mostly similar experiences across male and female participants.
Key Insights and Context
The most important insight is that adolescents with AIS do not only experience physical challenges but also adjust their behavior and mindset to manage school life. Their experiences show adaptation, awareness of body limitations, and effort to maintain normal participation in school activities despite discomfort.
Connection to Existing Literature
The results are consistent with studies showing that AIS leads to physical pain, discomfort during school activities, and psychosocial concerns such as self-image issues and social sensitivity. Previous research also supports that bracing and treatment can cause discomfort and affect daily routines, which aligns with the experiences shared by participants.
Unexpected Findings
Some participants reported that scoliosis had minimal effect on their academic or social life, especially when the condition is mild or well-managed. This contrasts with other participants who experienced more noticeable discomfort and social effects, showing variation in lived experience depending on severity and personal coping.
Methodological Rigor
The interpretation was guided strictly by verbatim transcripts and the Giorgi method. Researchers practiced bracketing (epoché) to set aside personal assumptions and focused only on the participants’ actual statements when forming meaning units and themes.
Study Objectives
The study fully addressed the lived experiences of adolescents with Idiopathic Scoliosis by examining how it affects their academic participation, social interaction, coping strategies, and gender-related experiences in a school setting.
The Giorgi Phenomenological Method
The Giorgi method was chosen for its structured and systematic approach to analyzing lived experiences, allowing researchers to identify the essence of participants’ experiences without losing meaning from their narratives.
Data Analysis Process
The process involved reading transcripts multiple times, identifying meaning units from significant statements, transforming these units into psychological meanings, and grouping them into themes that represent shared experiences.
Ethical Considerations
Participants were selected using purposive sampling (aged 14–17). Interviews were conducted face-to-face using a semi-structured format. Informed consent was obtained, and confidentiality was maintained by assigning codes instead of real names. Participants were provided a safe environment and the right to withdraw at any time.
Erik Erikson’s Identity vs. Role Confusion
1. Physical Pain and Discomfort
Persistent physical limitations affect the ability to participate in school. Pain and fatigue interfere with academic and physical roles, influencing how adolescents see themselves and their sense of competence.
2. Peer Interaction and Social Treatment
Peer relationships are central to identity formation. Experiences of teasing or social awareness influence perceptions of acceptance and belonging, contributing to either identity development or role confusion.
3. Coping Strategies and School Improvements
By developing strategies such as posture correction and bracing, adolescents actively construct a sense of control and independence, supporting identity development despite physical limitations.
4. Gender-Based Perceptions
Participants recognized that scoliosis experiences are similar across genders, but gender still influences the visibility of the condition. This contributes to how adolescents understand themselves within social identity structures” }