I Just Want to Be Normal!

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PSY2004 Research Methods and Ethics in Psychology Laboratory Report Cover Sheet STUDENT NUMBER: M00380480 TITLE: “I just want to be normal”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Teenagers with Down’s syndrome DECLARATION: This is entirely my own work and it has not been copied, cribbed or paraphrased from any published or unpublished material. It is written in my own words throughout, and all the sources used in the text are acknowledged in the appropriate reference section. Signed (please insert name): Cathy Tahsin “I just want to be normal”: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Teenagers with Down’s syndrome This study attempts to construct the experiences and life world of teenagers with Down’s syndrome. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis is an approach that explores the experience of participants and how they make sense of their personal world (Smith, Flowers and Larkin, 2009). A series of semi-structured interviews have been used to gather the data for the purposes of this analysis. The potential of being stigmatised by being Down’s syndrome may be at the heart of the responses of the participants here. Through the questions and prompts the interviewer encourages them to talk about their experiences and feelings of being born with Down’s syndrome. This type of research serves as an important function in educational policy as, through the interpretation of the data, a construct of their experiences and acceptance of their condition is developed as well as the psychological impact of how others view them and how this differs from their own self-concepts. This is illustrated through three recurring themes: Self-Concept and Identity, Embodiment of Disability and Frustration, and Construction of Ideal Self. Theme 1 – Self-Concept and Identity The first strong

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