The purpose of this study is to assist homeless, abused women to identify their personal strengths. The interpretive framework is guided by Draucker and Stern's (2000) theory of forging ahead in a dangerous world: creating a safer life and Neuman's (Neuman & Fawcett, 2002) concept of the created environment and its protective effect on health. The study design uses a naturalistic method of inquiry employing a qualitative, phenomenological approach (Kvale, 1996; Pollio, Henley, & Thompson, 1997). The research design will begin with engagement of the participant in a phenomenological dialogue, lasting 60- to 120 minutes. All participants are asked to respond to two central questions: tell me a story about a time when you were strong, and what kinds of things do you do to make you feel strong? After thematic structures are identified by meaning condensation, meaning categorization of the identified themes will be differentiated into subcategories by the researcher using narrative structuring (Kvale, 1996; Morse, 1994). Data analysis is currently in progress, but pilot analysis suggests that there are internal-external means, and punctuated understandings that define personal strengths of homeless, abused women.
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