Date

7-15-2024

Department

School of Education

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Chair

Gail Collins

Keywords

Chronic illness, College students, college students with disabilities, college students with chronic illness

Disciplines

Educational Leadership

Abstract

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the experiences of individuals with chronic illnesses who graduated from college while facing health threats that often interrupted their daily activities. The theory that guided this study was Bandura's self-efficacy theory. Bandura defined self-efficacy as what a person understands about their ability to accomplish specific goals. In addition, Leventhal's construct, the common-sense model of self-regulation, provided the substructure of Bandura's theory, illustrating that with the right guidance, individuals can make decisions and manage their own health. An individual can use the theory and model to determine the necessary actions to achieve a goal. Participants in this study included 10 individuals who graduated from college in spite of having a chronic illness that interfered with their daily life activities. The participants were selected through social media outlets and not restricted to a particular school or region of the United States. Data were collected through interviews, timelines, and focus groups. The data were analyzed to explicate and interpret the information through an in-depth examination and coding of the consistency of patterns and events. This research study found that college students who have chronic illnesses can successfully graduate with the support of family, medical staff, and university professors. In addition to the need for support, these students also require a medical diagnosis in order to receive proper treatment and to request accommodations and modifications to their coursework.

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