Volition as Narrative: Understanding Motivation in Chronic Illness

Abstract

This paper expands the current concept of volition in the Model of Human Occupation. The present version views personal causation, values, and interests as traits that determine choices to engage in occupations. Through a detailed investigation of the life histories of two persons with psychiatric disorders, this paper illustrates how volition is embedded in a personal narrative. Two features of narratively organized volition are highlighted: (a) how narrative places decisions and actions within a plot, thus giving them meaning in the context of a whole life, and (b) how the personal narrative motivates the person by serving as a context for choosing and action. Thus, the paper illustrates how persons seek to narrate their lives and live their life narratives.

Psychiatric rehabilitation in community-based day centres: Motivation and satisfaction

“…In theories about human motivation, being autonomously motivated to engage and having the volition to change behavior are important factors to consider in the pursuit of health and well-being (9)(10)(11). Furthermore, Deci and Ryan (10), in developing the selfdetermination theory (SDT), emphasized the importance of pursuing goals, especially intrinsic and extrinsic life-goals, which is also in line with findings from a consumer-run, activity-based mental health program (12).…”

Using the OPHI-II to Support People With Mental Illness in Their Recovery

“…Narrative interviewing involves listening to the stories that people tell about their lives. It aims to access and understand the meanings, motivations, and contexts of people's actions, while nurturing future action (Clark, Carlson, & Polkinghorne, 1997;Finlay, 2004;Frank, 1995;Helfrich, Kielhofner, & Mattingly, 1994;Levin, Kielhofner, Braveman, & Fogg, 2007). Gathering clients' narratives in mental health care settings can enable occupational therapists to consider clients' lived experiences of mental illness along with the broader context of their past and present daily life experiences and occupational identities.…”

How routine facilitates wellbeing in older women

“…Several studies have examined the meaning of occupations through the use of narrative in patients' life stories when illness or disability arises, focusing on how the illness or disability created discontinuity in the life story and how new identities or bridges with the past were created by using occupations from childhood (Clark, 1993;Helfrich, Kielhofner & Mattingly, 1994;Price-Lackey, Cashman, 1996). The participants in my study adapted or gave up routines when they were no longer able to perform them as they would like and they set out deliberately to replace them with new ones which were often accomplished by a return to childhood occupations.…”