Investigating the biographical and lived experiences of (sports) people with asthma: 'Contesters, Conformers, and Creators'

Owton, H. (2011). Investigating the biographical and lived experiences of (sports) people with asthma: 'Contesters, Conformers, and Creators'. In: 26th PsyPAG Annual Conference, 6-8 Jul 2011, University of Bangor.

URL: https://dora.dmu.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/2086/9840/...

Abstract

The majority of the research surrounding asthma has been quantitative and laboratory-experimental, which has given precedence to the way the body is examined as an object (Gregersen, 2003). Childhood populations have often been the focus, and sporting adult populations have been largely overlooked despite the strong relationship between asthma and sport and increasing rates of ‘late onset asthma’. Therefore the purpose of this research was to explore the lived experiences of adults who played or who had played sport. It provides insight into sporting females’ and males’ embodied experiences of asthma through an investigation of their topical life histories. Exploring these people’s perceptions, lived experiences, attitudes, beliefs, and preferences could help inform health practitioners and sporting professionals about the implications for sport participation and treatment programmes in their sporting lives.

Method: In-depth interviews were the primary techniques employed, and through narrative (thematic) analysis, the stories of 14 participants (8 females & 6 males; aged 22 - 87 years) helped to inductively identify the following typology focused upon 3 ‘ideal types’. This typology, it should be emphasized, is being used for heuristic purposes given the uncertain and illusive nature of asthma, and the research fully acknowledges the mutability and flux of identities/subjectivities (Richardson, 1990).