Participant Insights on Surgery Decision

Introduction

This report is a detailed analysis of the pre-surgery experience of the participants and based on the statements provided by the participants, an IPA report has been prepared to reach the conclusion regarding the due experience faced by the participants, their days of obesity and how they concluded the decision of getting the surgery.

Method

For the purpose of examining the pre-surgery experience on people who are about to go through the Bariatric Surgery for wright loss, I shall use the Interpretative Phenomenological Approach. According to my research and my method of conducting a proper IPA therein, it is suitable to approach the experience method that shall provide and assist with the way I interpret the experience of the people who are about to go through the surgery therein.

Reflexivity Method

Reflexivity method is extremely important in order to understand and prepare an IPA report as it helps to realize the social setting of the social goal of a participant and with the help of this method, a researcher observes and concludes such view (Dallos & Vetere, 2005, p. 165-170). Also, this method also helps in acquiring thoughts, notes and any other reactions to the research process as well (Green & Thorogood, 2018, p. 275-277). For the exclusive purpose of this report of IPA, I hereby confess that I possess quite little idea about the Bariatric process of weight loss and how people deal with the surgery and the associated risks of this surgery therein. According to my opinion, the choice of having the instant surgery provides us with the rough idea about why a person would want to go through a surgery for the sake of weight loss and it only reflects on the fact that how their repetitive attempt at losing weight has been in vain. However, while I understand and interpret how excessive weight gain could be a hindrance to someone’s daily life and for some people weight is not something to have a joke about., it is also important to remember that how the societal body image affects many persons and every person who decide to undergone the abovementioned surgery should be subjected to a thorough mental examination as to why he/she wants to go through the surgery and as to why he/she thinks this surgery shall help him/her through the due use of reflexivity method (Hook & Courtney, 2013, p. 575-579). It does not matter whether the hospital is private or governmental, the subjection to such psychological examination might provide better interpretation on the Bariatric surgery therein and also it shall fulfil the societal knowledge on how excessive weight can be a childhood trauma, the bully that is attached to it and how the normal flow of the life of a person is affected by it. In this report, I would like to highlight the fact that my limited knowledge on the particular subject of Bariatric Surgery shall provide me with wider scope to interpret the analytical process and with the help of this particular report, I shall have the chance of counter the presumptions, which might be slightly negative, regarding this particular surgery and the psychological state of the people who agreed to do so (Smith et al., 2009).

Analytical Method

In order to reach a conclusion of this particular report, I have duly used Analytical method of research to prepare this IPA report. With the help of this method, I have drawn conclusive qualitative analysis on how people experience their obesity and how they reach their conclusion of getting the surgery therein (Larkin & Thompson, 2012). While IPA argues that a report solely based on experience might be misleading but it also speaks of how IPA report should take the experience of the participants in a highly regard (Larkin & Thompson, 2012). Hence, the process of inter-subjective analysis has been attached while taking two video diaries into account and the same has been attached to this report for the purpose of providing with better analysis and interpretation of the IPA analysis therein (Amelia, 2008; Roberta, Weigh2Funny 2010). Based on the narrations of these two videos where the participants have shared their life histories and the experiences therein, these two videos were taken before the surgery and the pre-surgery experience has been attested in both the videos and both of the transcripts of these videos talk about the detailed understanding and experience about their weigh loss and Bariatric Surgery journey. The transcripts of the instant videos were read and reread in order to fully engage and understand the true experience the people therein. For the purpose of preparing this report, an initial list was made to understand the missing link between the statements of the participants herein and interrogative questions and descriptions were also used for the purpose of better conclusion of the instant IPA report. A detailed analytical process which includes abstraction, subsumption, polarization, contextualization and mapping of the data collected from the interrogative coding of the participants therein (Ogden, Clementi & Aylwin, 2006). Accordingly, the superordinate themes as it has been mentioned under the master table has been included, interpretated and analyzed to highlight the recurrent themes and it has helped in better understanding the experiences of the participants therein.

Analysis

From the abovementioned Table 1 of the Superordinate themes or master themes, it is to be mentioned that the participants of the two video diaries responded in their own ways, drawing from their personal experience and how they have reached the conclusion of going through the Bariatric Surgery for weight loss. But as I have explained and narrated in the Table 1, both of this personalized experience has many elements common which provides us with the same emotion and psychological result and it speaks of the participants experience as a whole. The four of the superordinate themes are to be examined herein in thorough and it is to be deducted and held as to what extent the experience of these two participants match.

Bariatric Surgery to regain control of their life and expecting a transformation

In the given Table 1, both the participants share their experience on the subject matter and how Bariatric Surgery shall be their way of regaining control of their life and expecting a transformation as a whole herein. From the remarks of Amelia, as she has stated that, “now I’ve gotten myself involved in stuff you know of course I got the teasing and all that stuff that you get if you’re different from anybody and I even get a lot of it cause I am at my heaviest and I get a lot of you know the stares and the laughs and all that and yeah its horrible and it, it bothers me,makes me angry more than anything” (Amelia, p. 26-30) From this statement, it can be concluded that Amelia is not okay with the occasional teasing from the friend and overall stare that she gets due to her overweight. Even though the abovementioned participant has lots of friends and is not subjected to any traumatic incident or extreme bully due to her overweight, she still gets stigmatised and differentiated from the rest of the groups. However, the situation is not the same with Roberta and how she describes her public encounter where she has received several bully comments and has faced uncomfortable situation due to her overweight, “I guess my final straw about having the surgery, occurred when I had to sit on the airplane, I was squished up in the seat and I had to sit like this so none of my, fat or, me, would flow into the other seat, um you know. It was just very uncomfortable of course I had to use a extra belt to err tie myself in” (Roberta, pp. 124-128). While Bariatric Surgery purposefully aims weight loss, it is not risk free and it has many other several side effects along with a strict diet to be followed afterwards. Even after the surgery as both the participants have planned to do therein, needs to be supported with good care and good dieting schedule afterwards which should have a strict schedule according to the wishes of the doctor therein. Hence, from the abovementioned two comments and personalized experience of the participants therein, it is to be deducted that even though both of the participants face different social situation and they are under different social setups altogether, they are subjected to same kind of social exclusion or teasing or bully and has provided the basic view that how their Bariatric surgery decision is mostly based on the external factors such as the opinions of the others. Also, in Table 1 under Superordinate theme 1, sub-theme 2, a common concept has been expressed i.e. whether the participants feel to be burden on others. To such subjection, both of the participants have expressed their views that due to their overweight they are unable to do things that people with normal weight do quite easily and they almost od not have the extra provision to do the things in the way they like. As it has been stated by Amelia that, “I just wanna be able to be healthier and you know, not have to be standing up there going hurry and get this over with, I’m ‘bout to die, you know on my feet, because I cant stand on my feet for long periods or walk for long periods. so that’s gonna be on hold just until I get some weight off and I’m a lot healthier and able to move” (Amelia, pp. 14-18) Thus, it can be analysed in this particular report that the decision of having a Bariatric Surgery by the participants comes more from the feeling of being a burden on others than their own views or perception towards their body herein. Such statements show how Amelia does not want to be a burden on the people around her and want to get rid of her extra mass on her body through essential means of surgery herein. Thus, from the first theme in the Table 1, it can be stated that the Ogden, Clementi and Aylwin’s (2006), research on obesity in reference to the paradox of control was true and referring their research paper it can also be reported under this IPA that both of the participants wanted to control their surrounding environment therein by controlling their obesity and therefore they took their decision of getting the Bariatric surgery of weight loss and it is clear from their statements as it has been given in their video diaries herein (Ogden, Clementi & Aylwin, 2006).

Reassuring with social acceptance and support

Another prominent and one of the most important and recurring themes of the IPA report is therein to understand the reassurance the participants derive from their social acceptance and support. While social acceptance and support is one of the hardest things to come by as it has been previously stated by Amelia and Roberta. Both the participants have stated how the social support from their family or their partners are important to them and the absence of such support makes them stressed about getting the surgery therein. “I’m not married but I’ve been dating a guy named Joe for almost four years now and he is wonderful and very supportive of me and my journey and I’m very very thankful to have him in my life. erm we don’t have any children but we do have one English bulldog named Kade and he is our baby” (Amelia, pp. 6-10) From the statement provided by Amelia, it is clear that for the decision of obtaining the surgery, Amelia relies a lot on the support from her now partner and how she is thankful for the support of her partner. Hence, from the above stated comment by Amelia, it can be concluded and deducted that the personal relationships are likely to be affected by the weight loss of the participant and that obesity plays an important role in the relationship between a couple (Carr & Freeman, 2006). In contrast to Amelia, Roberta has provided with a different story but with the same outcome as it has been mentioned above. From Table 1, superordinate theme 2, it can be observed that Roberta has spoken of her family to be non-supportive of her weight loss journey and she does not want to take note of that as she wants to get the surgery done, no matter what and she also does not want any stress before the surgery as well. “Um I told family and friends, didn’t tell them a lot of details because uh a lot of times people uh never know how they’ll react or whatever and you know what, I just don’t need that extra added stress, my thing was I could tell it straight up there’s no problem with me doing that but what’s the point I mean I’m not going to change my decision about the surgery” (Roberta, pp. 159-164). Thus, from the first theme in the Table 1, it can be stated that the Ogden, Clementi and Aylwin’s (2006), research on obesity in reference to the paradox of control was true and referring their research paper it can also be reported under this IPA that both of the participants wanted to control their surrounding environment therein by controlling their obesity and therefore they took their decision of getting the Bariatric surgery of weight loss and it is clear from their statements as it has been given in their video diaries herein (Ogden, Clementi & Aylwin, 2006). Also, in this regard the comparison of depression, stress and obesity can be brough up as well and it can be stated that how the matter of overweight can be such a sensitive issue that it has the power to control a big part of our lives herein (Cooke & Wardle, 2007).

Decision making and reasoning

Even though in the superordinate themes table, all of these factors have been declared under separate themes and columns, the decision making and reasoning for getting the Bariatric Surgery essentially resides with the social inclusion and the same has been reflected from the statements given by Amelia and Roberta herein. “Erm so I was devastated to say the least but now I know that it just wasn’t the right time for me and so I just, I didn’t know what to do, and I was just venting on a website the I liked to get to which is bariatric eating. com and if you haven’t been there, to me it’s the best place I’ve found for support, products, information and all that stuff, so go there when you get a chance, bariatric eating. com. err and so I was just telling people what happened and a lady had messaged me and told me you know about a doctor in Alabama and I was just kind of like Alabama, that’s just to far you know and so we went down there and it, I was just like this is way to far so we didn’t even stay for the session or anything just stayed overnight, came home.” (Amelia, pp. 64-75) The same reasoning was clear from the statement of Roberta who also uttered that it is due to her embarrassing situation in a flight to Vegas when she decided to go through the surgery and wanted to get rid of her obesity herein. Hence, the decision making and the reasoning of the Bariatric surgery essentially reflects the needs to be fitted into the society and to be present in different places without being excluded. From the research journal of Brewis, Hruschka and Wutich (2011), it can be concluded and decided that fat stigma works greater in the life of women than in men and most of the women decide to reason their way into the surgery on this particular factor of social inclusion alone and nothing else.

Other Psychological reasoning and the excitement of what lies ahead

Apart from the previous themes of the table 1, there exist other psychological reasoning mentioned in the superordinate theme 4 such as the stigma, shame or stereotypes that are attached to the overweight situation herein. According to one of the participant’s Roberta, “I’m tired of chairs wobbling, my knees cracking, uh uh my health is always in warranty I’m just fortunate I don’t have any major health issues, but there are signs that they are coming.” (Roberta, pp. 142-144) It is clear and precise from the statement that even though Roberta’s health is not in immediate danger, she is determined to go through the Bariatric Surgery due to the attached stigma of overweight. Hence, it is not because of her health but the stigma and the shame that comes from being overweight that makes Roberta wants to go through the surgery herein. However, it is also noticeable that both of the participants provide statements that clearly shows how they are firm on their decision on getting the surgery done and even though for Roberta, it is a last resort to lose the weight, for Amelia, the process has been exciting and she is quite excited about her changed body shape and how she will look in the future. “I’m just, I’m super excited about this whole cause and this whole journey erm sure I’m nervous but it gonna be good. It’s gonna take a lot of hard work I know that but I’m up for it” (Amelia, pp. 96-98) From various research papers, it has been held by the scholars therein that the fat stigma of women are extremely harmful and most of the women lean toward having a surgery solely due to this reason and nothing else (Brewis, Hruschka and Wutich, 2011).

Conclusion and Discussion

Therefore, from the abovementioned Interpretative Phenological Analytical report, it can be concluded that while Bariatric surgery has become one of the common surgeries and lots of women and men go through this surgery in order to control their body mass, this system prevails due to the existing situation of social control. Even though overweight comes with several health issues, social stigma and the psychological effect of such social stigma is one of the biggest issues therein and as such it provides the participants with the decision-making ability of having the surgery thereon.

REFERENCE LIST

Brewis AA, Hruschka DJ and Wutich A (2011) Vulnerability to fat-stigma in women’s everyday relationships. Social Science & Medicine 73:491–497.

Dallos, R., & Vetere, A. (2005). Researching Psychotherapy and Counselling. Maidenhead: McGraw Hill.

Larkin, M., & Thompson, A. (2012). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis in Mental Heath and Psychotheraphy Research. In D. Harper, & A. Thompson, Qualitative Research Methods in Mental Health and Psychotherapy. Chichester: John Wiley Sons Ltd.

Ogden, J., Clementi, C. & Aylwin, S. (2006). The impact of obesity surgery and the paradox of control: A qualitative study, Psychology & Health, 21:2, 273-293.

Smith, J, Flowers, P. and Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis: Theory, Method and Research. Los Angeles, CA: SAGE.