Making my own path : journeys of emerging adults with cerebral palsy

![CDATA[Introduction: Emerging adulthood has been identified as a unique developmental stage within developed countries. Generally associated with ages 18-25, emerging adulthood is seen as a time of: identity exploration; instability; self-focus; a sense of feeling in-between; and possibilities. It is a time of profound change when people develop, review and update their plan for the future. While emerging adulthood is a journey of significant change and transition for all young people, it may be even more challenging for young people with a lifelong disability such as cerebral palsy (CP). Objectives: This research aimed to address significant gaps in knowledge around the individual stories of emerging adults with CP from their own perspective, and their collective experiences. Method: A qualitative, narrative inquiry was undertaken with eighteen participants with CP aged 18–25 years who lived in New South Wales. In-depth unstructured interviews were conducted to explore participants’ experience of emerging adulthood. Narrative analysis was used to construct detailed individual stories, highlighting the uniqueness of personal journeys. Analysis of narratives techniques facilitated development of themes from within and across stories. Results: Fifteen themes were developed from participant stories. These themes reflect the importance of concepts including identity, resilience, altruism, disclosure, mental health, friendships and relationships, education and employment, personal care and health services, transport, geographical location, funding, parental relationships, and the meaning of adulthood. Environmental barriers were prevalent within stories and themes, including: negative assumptions and pre-judgement by other people; discrimination; inaccessible environments; and inflexible services. Conclusion: This study is the first time that the stories of emerging adults with CP have been documented using narrative methodology. The findings provide livedexperience evidence to help inform policy, education, theory, planning and delivery of services and support. Implications for occupational therapy practice are presented.]]