Narrating the Self: A Grounded Theory Model of Emerging Purpose for College Students With Disabilities

Authors

Annemarie Vaccaro
Adam Moore, Roger Williams UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Comments

Published in: Journal of College Student Development, vol.59, issue 1, 2018.

Abstract

This article presents findings and a model from a constructivist grounded theory study about purpose development for college students with disabilities. The 59 participants, drawn from 4 different higher education institutions, self-identified as having 1 or more of a variety of disabilities. Students engaged in imagination, exploration, and integration as part of the developmental process of developing a sense of purpose. Important social contexts and intersecting social identities also influenced the narrative of self that students created regarding their purpose.

Recommended Citation

Vaccaro, A., Kimball, E. W., Moore, A., Newman, B. M., & Troiano, P. F. (2018). Narrating the self: A grounded theory model of emerging purpose for college students with disabilities. Journal of College Student Development, 59(1), 37-54.