Exploring the Hidden Dimensions of Chronic Shame in Adolescents with Performance Anxiety: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This study aimed to explore the psychological narratives of domestic violence survivors during their psychological rehabilitation process, focusing on lived experience, meaning-making, and recovery. This qualitative research employed an interpretative phenomenological approach. Twenty-three survivors of domestic violence in Tehran were purposefully selected and interviewed through semi-structured interviews. Data collection continued until theoretical saturation was reached. Thematic analysis was performed using NVivo software, applying open, axial, and selective coding. Three major themes were identified: (1) Lived experience of violence (persistent fear, imposed isolation, psychological humiliation, physical abuse); (2) Rehabilitation pathway (emergence of awareness, social support, identity reconstruction, self-expression); and (3) Psychological meaning-making and restoration (meaning of suffering, posttraumatic growth, psychological self-care). Participants’ narratives reflected a dynamic progression from psychological collapse to gradual reconstruction of internal stability. The findings suggest that psychological rehabilitation following domestic violence is a complex, multi-stage process centered on redefinition of meaning and identity. Understanding survivors' subjective narratives can inform culturally adapted, narrative-based therapeutic interventions and support programs in the Iranian context.