Att acceptera acceptansen : Personliga upplevelser av acceptans vid permanent ofrivillig barnlöshet

Sammanfattning

Permanent involuntary childlessness is increasing, and it is something that has been shown to have a strong psychological impact on the affected individuals. At the same time, research linked to the concept of acceptance has become increasingly popular. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate how permanent involuntary childless people experience acceptance. That includes their attitude to the concept, any change in their attitude and their experience of going through or being in an acceptance process. Furthermore, the study also intended to investigate which factors may influence the experience of acceptance. The expectation based on this was to gain a deeper understanding of how healthcare and fellow human beings can support, help and respond to people who are facing an unchangeable situation. Nine permanent involuntary childless women were interviewed using a semi- structured interview guide, and the data were analyzed based on a narrative analysis method. The results showed that acceptance is a complex process that is closely linked to grief. The attitude to the concept and the experience of acceptance can also be perceived differently depending on where in the process a person is. Furthermore, the results showed that the breaking point, where people go from an involuntary childlessness to a permanent involuntary childlessness, is a critical phase and that a clear turning point is needed to be able to begin an acceptance process. An important conclusion is that the healthcare, the surroundings and the society have an impact on the acceptance process, where their respond both can be a help and an obstacle.