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An interpretative phenomenological analysis exploring the influence of professional identity on medical doctors’ perceived wellbeing

Magda Szulik, Moira Cachia

Affiliacja i adres do korespondencji
Psychiatr Psychol Klin 2021, 21 (4), p. 251–256
DOI: 10.15557/PiPK.2021.0028
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Streszczenie

Aim: This qualitative paper aims to develop an understanding of how professional identity influences doctors’ perceived wellbeing. Material and method: A qualitative approach using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (Smith and Osborn, 2015) was implemented to examine the experience of six tenured physicians. Semi-structured interviews with open-ended questions allowed for in-depth investigation of the ways the interviewees make sense of their experiences and feelings, and the meaning they assign to the concept of their professional identity. Results: Three superordinate theme clusters representing professional identity, personal identity, and sensemaking processes were identified from the data. The professional identity theme focused on data about doctors’ characteristics such as benevolence and a sense of commitment. The personal identity theme distinguished different ways the participants thought and felt about themselves. The sensemaking theme, however, referred to the experience by the professionals’ cognitive processing and cognitive dissonance. The results suggest that professional identity had a substantial influence on physicians’ perceived wellbeing. Conclusion: This research offers theoretical implications for approaching the study of physicians’ professional identity, and practical implications which may imply that the development of professional identity can be of significant value for doctors’ positive wellbeing. However, some dimensions of physicians’ identity, such as commitment or self-concept, may contribute to a resultant negative affect. These considerations should be taken into account in future medical students’ education programmes.

Słowa kluczowe
doctors, professional identity, wellbeing, qualitative research, interpretative phenomenological analysis