Fear of the Unknown: Narrative Analysis of Locally Stranded Individuals’ Experiences

Authors

  • Darius E. Montaño
  • Kristoffer Ryan T. Gidaya

Keywords:

well-being, COVID-19, locally stranded individuals, pandemic, interpretative phenomenological analysis

Abstract

Aimed at understanding the well-being of locally stranded individuals amidst COVID-19 pandemic, this study navigated the dimensions of their lived experiences. A semi-structured questionnaire and synchronous online interviews through video conference were carried out with eight locally stranded individuals. Narratives were then transcribed textually. To best capture their shared experiences during the computer mediated communication, an interpretative phenomenological analysis was employed in analyzing the data. Superordinate themes that emerged from the synchronous online interviews include Concerns and Challenges (CC), Emotional Struggles (ES), Ways of Coping (WC), Perceived Meaning (PM) and Hope (H). Locally stranded individuals (LSIs) shared about their experiences during the quarantine period, and how these made an impact in their lives. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected their mental health, and provision of psychological intervention is suggested. Causes, inferences and recommendations based on these findings were discussed.

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Published

2023-05-25

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