More than a job: Career development of individuals with cystic fibrosis.

BACKGROUND

Cystic fibrosis and its employment corollaries have received little attention despite the fact that complications of CF represent numerous theorized barriers to optimal career outcomes.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of the study was to conduct grounded theory research that results in an understanding of the employment experiences of people with CF and ultimately a substantive grounded theory of career development applicable to individuals with this disease.

METHODS

This study utilized the grounded theory method of qualitative inquiry. A purposive sample of ten young adults with CF participated in in-depth semi-structured qualitative interviews. Analysis of the interview transcripts followed the constant comparative approach to coding, which identified core themes and sub-themes and culminated in a conceptual framework of variables influencing employment and career development.

RESULTS

An ecologically-based grounded theory of career development was developed. Major themes that influenced employment and career development were illness appraisal, occupational compromise, persistence, and altruism. Two patterns of career development outcomes emerged - the uninterrupted and the interrupted.

CONCLUSIONS

A complicated interaction of numerous ecological variables (individual characteristics, personal contextual factors, mediating factors, and the environment) collectively influenced career development. The presence of CF alone did not guarantee negative effects on career development.