Abstract

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of 4 individuals with aphasia (1 female, 3 male; 3 Catholic, 1 Lutheran) regarding their relationship with and engagement with the Bible. Participants completed three remote sessions via Zoom. In Session 1, participants completed the Test of Nonverbal Intelligence, Fourth Edition, (TONI-4), and the remote Quick Aphasia Battery (QAB). In Session 2, participants engaged in a semi-structured interview led by the researcher. In Session 3, the researchers presented preliminary analysis to receive feedback from participants. Student researchers coded interview transcriptions to develop a structured codebook. Five primary themes describe the participants' experiences with the Bible. These themes include conceptualization of the Bible, influence of others on Bible relationship, aphasia's impact on Bible relationship, the Bible's impact on lived experience, and use of supports in Bible engagement. Findings reveal that for many people, the Bible is not just a book, but a central part of their identity and a tool that helps them through the recovery process. Findings indicate that while there are commonalities in these four participants' experiences, there were also significant differences in their lived experiences. For clinicians and the public, these results make it clear that supporting a person's religious life is a necessary part of treating the "whole person" and helping them return to a meaningful life.

Degree

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Communication Disorders

Rights

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