Citation

Pitre NY, Kushner KE, Hegadoren KM. ANS Adv. Nurs. Sci. 2011; 34(3): 260-275.

Affiliation

University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/ANS.0b013e31822723ed

PMID

21822073

Abstract

We explored the experiences of 12 women who mothered their children while they encountered challenges stemming from the legacy of childhood violence experiences. We examined the participants' narratives through critical, feminist, and symbolic interaction lenses to locate the forces and conditions facilitating and constraining women's mothering choices and decisions. Women's stories revealed their agency in the face of enduring distrust experiences. Women were determined to "change the story." They met pervasive self-doubt with a "search for anchors" and "constant comparisons." Persistent distrust of others meant women relied on "hypervigilance" and "gatekeeping." Implications for knowledge development, research, and practice are discussed.

Language: en