Salvaging self: a grounded theory of pregnancy on crack cocaine
Kearney, M.H.; Murphy, S.; Irwin, K.; Rosenbaum, M.
Nursing Research 44(4): 208-213
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-6562 PMID: 7624230 Document Number: 446445
A grounded theory was developed to describe how pregnant crack cocaine users perceived their problems and responded to them. A basic social psychological process, salvaging self, was identified from constant comparative analysis of in-depth interviews with 60 pregnant or postpartum women who used crack cocaine an average of at least once per week in pregnancy. Salvaging self included two phases, facing the situation and evading harm. Participants evaluated the value, hope, and risk of various responses to pregnancy. Actions included strategies of harm reduction and stigma management aimed at reducing damage to the fetus, their identities as individuals and mothers, and the maternal-child relationship. Personal histories and social contexts influenced the salvaging process.