A family unitary field pattern portrait of power as knowing participation in change among adult substance users in rehabilitation

Family pattern has been shown in research studies to be integral to individuals' decision-making and choice behaviors. Research on substance use disorders in nursing has focused primarily on prevalence, attitudes, and late-risk indicators (West, 2002). The aim of this research study was to create a vivid portrait of adult substance users and family pattern in rehabilitation using a hermeneutic phenomenological research design derived from Rogers' science of unitary human beings. Butcher (1994) developed a hermeneutic phenomenological research method, the unitary field pattern portrait (UFPP) research method. The UFPP was derived from Rogerian criteria of scientific inquiry and was designed to enhance the understanding of pattern manifestations emerging from the pandimensional human-environmental mutual process (Butcher, 1998).;Eleven participants, ages 21--54, who were identified as adult substance users, participated in this research study. Utilizing the UFPP, the researcher analyzed the participants' descriptive findings through pattern appraisal and creative pattern synthesis to create the theoretical UFPP of family pattern of power as knowing participation in change among adult substance users in rehabilitation: An awareness of being content with rhythmical correlates of changing emotions; experienced as resonating waves of complex living pattern of recovery with presenting choices to resist temptation; the freedom to act intentionally is the power to control today's choices; helicy manifested as the power to participate knowingly in change with repatteming of the human-environmental fields; involvement in creating change is being in an environment where continuous change is possible; and integrality is experienced as continuous mutual human-environmental field process of change. Barrett's theory of power as knowing participation in change was used to assist in pattern evolution from the field dimensions of power: awareness, choices, freedom to act intentionally, and involvement in creating change. The findings from this study provide a family UFPP of power as knowing participation in change among adult substance users in rehabilitation.