Constructions of Continuity after Stroke

Abstract

Prior research suggests that illness disrupts biographical self because of the resulting difficulty in continuing to draw on the same material and symbolic resources used in self‐construction. Recent literature suggests that constructing continuity is possible because of the multi‐faceted nature of self‐construction. One hundred and twenty‐two veterans who had been hospitalized after an acute stroke and discharged home were enrolled in the study. In‐depth interviews were collected from the veterans at one month post‐stroke. Results indicate that some of these individuals construct continuity through their use of personally accessible discursive resources such as expectations for aging and religious beliefs.