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Narrating the Self: A Grounded Theory Model of Emerging Purpose for College Students With Disabilities
- Journal of College Student Development
- Johns Hopkins University Press
- Volume 59, Number 1, January-February 2018
- pp. 37-54
- 10.1353/csd.2018.0003
- Article
- Additional Information
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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.