基督宗教信念對女性喪偶者生命意義重構歷程之敘說研究
Abstract
本研究旨在探究女性喪偶者經歷重大死亡性失落後，基督宗教信念如何影響其重新建構生命意義與自我價值的歷程。研究採用敘說研究法，邀請三位配偶過世分別為21、14、8年的女性喪偶者，運用半結構式的訪談大綱，個別進行三次的生命故事訪談。在謹守研究倫理並確保信效度的準則下，透過訪談錄音、訪談逐字稿的謄寫，以及研究參與者的檢核等，形成故事文本。在資料分析部份，則採用Lieblich等人 (1998) 提出的「整體—內容」與「類別—內容」兩種敘說研究分析模式，並結合Ollerenshaw與Creswell (2000) 的「問題解決敍說架構」進行。透過研究者與協同分析者的共同分析資料，呈現最後的研究結果。
研究結果顯示，喪偶女性生命意義的重構歷程，主要是透過其生命中某些核心議題的改變。而三位研究參與者共同皆有改變的核心議題包括 (1) 死亡態度；(2) 親子關係；(3) 自我形象；(4) 與神的關係，以及 (5) 教會服事。死亡態度的改變，是從剛喪偶時，對死亡的疑惑、迷惘，到現今對死亡秉持中性導向的死亡態度，並且希望能健康的服事神。在親子關係上，則從剛喪偶時的自顧不暇，以及權威或掌控的管教方式，到現今逐漸變為民主的管教方式。自我形象的改變，則皆是由負向的自憐、自覺失敗，轉變成對自己有信心的正向自我形象。與神的關係方面，則從剛喪偶時，與神是有距離的，到如今視神為愛她們的父親、朋友，甚至是良人。最後，在教會服事方面，三位研究參與者皆期望能為教會做事。而喪偶女性生命意義的重新建構乃透過二個途徑。一是神藉由他人、夢，以及祂自己或是聖經中的話語，來改變人的負向情緒與負向自我形象。另一則是個人自己藉由 (1) 參與宗教性服事；(2) 內在的虔誠；(3) 宗教性因應；(4) 宗教性社會支持，以及 (5) 靈性，來調適喪偶喪慟。
The purpose of this study was to explore how Christian women reconstruct their life meaning and self-esteem through religious beliefs after conjugal loss. Narrative research method was applied to collect life stories of 3 female participants who have been widowed for 21, 14 and 8 years respectively. Three in-depth interviews, each lasting about 2.5 to 3 hours, were conducted for the participants to narrate their life course thoroughly. The narrated texts were analyzed by the narrative analysis models of holistic-content approach and holistic-form approach, combined with the model of “problem solution narrative structure” proposed by Ollerenshaw and Creswell (2000). Results indicated that Christian widows’ life meaning reconstruction process was manifested through the change of their life core issues. Five core issues that have been changed among all participants were: death attitude, parental relationship, self image, relationship with God, and church service. With regard to death attitude, changes were exhibited from initial confusion to present neutral death acceptance. While for parental relationship, authoritarian parenting style was replaced by democratic parenting style aligning with the growth of the children. For self image, negative self image was substituted for self confidence and positive self image. On the subject of relationship with God, God was perceived as a father, friend and even spouse instead of the previous estranged relationship. As to church service, devotion to the church services was participants’ shared vision. There were two pathways through which Christian widows mightreconstructtheir life meaning. One was that God utilize the persons surrounding the widows, widows’ own dreams, and Himself to change the widows’ negative self image. The other was that the widows adjusted their bereavement by participating church services, being intrinsic religiousness, adopting religious coping, getting religious social support, and being spiritually oriented.
The purpose of this study was to explore how Christian women reconstruct their life meaning and self-esteem through religious beliefs after conjugal loss. Narrative research method was applied to collect life stories of 3 female participants who have been widowed for 21, 14 and 8 years respectively. Three in-depth interviews, each lasting about 2.5 to 3 hours, were conducted for the participants to narrate their life course thoroughly. The narrated texts were analyzed by the narrative analysis models of holistic-content approach and holistic-form approach, combined with the model of “problem solution narrative structure” proposed by Ollerenshaw and Creswell (2000). Results indicated that Christian widows’ life meaning reconstruction process was manifested through the change of their life core issues. Five core issues that have been changed among all participants were: death attitude, parental relationship, self image, relationship with God, and church service. With regard to death attitude, changes were exhibited from initial confusion to present neutral death acceptance. While for parental relationship, authoritarian parenting style was replaced by democratic parenting style aligning with the growth of the children. For self image, negative self image was substituted for self confidence and positive self image. On the subject of relationship with God, God was perceived as a father, friend and even spouse instead of the previous estranged relationship. As to church service, devotion to the church services was participants’ shared vision. There were two pathways through which Christian widows mightreconstructtheir life meaning. One was that God utilize the persons surrounding the widows, widows’ own dreams, and Himself to change the widows’ negative self image. The other was that the widows adjusted their bereavement by participating church services, being intrinsic religiousness, adopting religious coping, getting religious social support, and being spiritually oriented.
Description
Keywords
女性喪偶者, 生命意義的重構, 敘說研究, 基督宗教信念, widow, life meaning reconstruction, narrative research, Christian beliefs