Autobiographical Timeline: A Narrative and Life Story Approach in Understanding Meaning-Making in Cancer Patients

Abstract

Coping with cancer presents a formidable challenge. Finding meaning, or making sense of the disease, has been shown to have positive benefits for the individual. This article introduces an innovative qualitative method—the autobiographical timeline interview—in research on the illness experience, as demonstrated in a study to understand the meaning-making process for Chinese women with breast cancer. This method integrates narrative technique and life story approach in facilitating research participants to explore and articulate the meaning they constructed of their cancer experience. It allows in-depth understanding into a phenomenon with adherence to methodological and scientific rigor. The emphasis of this article is on the discussion of the research method and how it elucidates participants' subjective realities in light of their cultural, temporal, and social contexts. The research process not only promotes evidence-based reflective practice but is also an empowering experience for the participants.