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Human Information Behavior, Coping, and Decision-Making

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Human Information Behavior, Coping, and Decision-Making HUMAN INFORMATION BEHAVIOR, COPING, AND DECISION-MAKING IN THE CONTEXT OF A PERSONAL CRISIS: AN INTERPRETATIVE PHENOMENOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE VOICES OF BIRTHMOTHERS ON RELINQUISHING A CHILD FOR ADOPTION Rachael Annette Clemens A dissertation submitted to the faculty at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Information & Library Science. Chapel Hill 2017 Approved by: Barbara M. Wildemuth Claudia Gollop Sandra Hughes-Hassell Lynn Westbrook Gretchen Miller Wrobel © 2017 Rachael Annette Clemens ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ii ABSTRACT Rachael Annette Clemens: Human Information Behavior, Coping, And Decision-Making In The Context Of A Personal Crisis: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of The Voices Of Birthmothers On Relinquishing A Child For Adoption (Under the direction of Barbara Wildemuth) This qualitative and interpretive inquiry explores the information behavior of birthmothers surrounding the processes of decision-making, coping, and living with the act of child relinquishment to adoption. An interpretative phenomenological analysis methodology is used to reveal the phenomenon as experienced by eight birthmothers, women who voluntarily relinquished a child to adoption. The resulting text is analyzed to expose common patterns across cases, as well as idiographic themes that emerge at the individual case level. This study contributes to research positioned within human information behavior by probing the boundaries of everyday life information seeking models to secure space in which to situate contexts of negative life events and personal crises. The significance of this work for practice, policy, and further research is in offering a deeper understanding of the experience of birthmothers during decision-making and coping processes, both pre- and post-adoption, with specific regard to information needs and information engagement. Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) study design, a purposeful sample of eight birthmothers from across the U.S. who relinquished a child within the previous 15 years (since 2000) participated in face-to-face interviews about their own lived experiences. Coincidentally all participants are engaged in some form of open adoption, meaning they iii participated in selecting adoptive parents and have varying levels of ongoing contact with the adoptive family and the child(ren) they relinquished. Information is central to expectant mothers as they consider and explore options, construct and evaluate versions of future possible selves (terminating pregnancy, parenting, or placing for adoption), and frame their situation in order to move forward. The phenomenon of child relinquishment is seeped in secrecy and shame; information sources are similarly tinged and filtered through the same stigma. Information is scarce and involves significant levels of trust on the part of information consumers. Navigating unfamiliar information pathways to support such an emotional and deeply personal decision impacts a woman’s means to explore and critically assess options surrounding decisions about an unintended pregnancy. Lack of role models, relevant information, and support systems contribute to feelings of uncertainty, vulnerability, and powerlessness for women who make and live with an adoption decision. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The dissertation journey would not have been possible without the support of so many fellow travelers, role models, and faithful cheerleaders. My sincerest gratitude goes to the following people who have had a significant and extremely positive impact on my own lived experience. To my advisor, Dr. Barbara Wildemuth, thank you for the expert direction and unfailing support; your generosity of time and sincere engagement made this journey through the pathways of qualitative research so much more meaningful. Your constant prompts to, "Go back to the data," will forever remind me of the value and importance of truly listening to people. No one has ever pushed me this hard, while at the same time instilling a confidence that I could actually rise to the occasion. To the members of my committee, Drs. Gollop, Hughes-Hassell, Westbrook, and Wrobel, thank you for the insightful feedback, guidance, and support. To the eight women who shared their stories so willingly and fearlessly for this project, I thank you; this work would not have been possible without you. Traveling around the country to meet you and hear your voices was by far my favorite part of this process. To the Graduate School at the University of North Carolina, thank you for the generous funding in support of my travels across the U.S. to interview birthmothers for this research. To the libraries and librarians at the University of North Carolina, thank you for the world-class access to all the material I needed to complete this work; particular thanks to Lorin Bruckner, Data Visualization Services Librarian at Davis Library, for helping me communicate some of my v findings in a visual manner. To all the amazing students whom I've been privileged to teach, thank you for always inspiring me and instilling such confidence in our next generations: undoubtedly you will make our world a better place. To my fellow members in the Adoption Triad Dialogue Group of Greensboro, NC, thank you for keeping me grounded through your support and insight into the real life experience and effects of adoption. Thanks in particular to Francie Portnoy, our fearless leader, for all the questions, prompts, and support you have so generously given to me, both personally and professionally. To my family, near and far, by birth and through marriage, warm thanks for the unending words of encouragement and authentic support. Thanks to my parents, John and Donna Ruth Green, for picking up the slack of my family life so many times over the last few years and for consistently demonstrating your unconditional love and support for me. To my sister, Dr. Rebecca Green, you continue to inspire me both through your high caliber scientific research and your relentless effort to protect our living world. I remain envious of your ability to capture any audience with your amazing wildlife experiences and storytelling skills. To my dear friend and fellow librarian, Polly McCord, thank you for encouraging me to share my story. To the friends I made through the Pollak Library at California State University Fullerton, thank you for the deeply rewarding experience you offered to me and for supporting my decision to pursue this degree; I am a better librarian and person for knowing and learning from you all. Thank you in particular to Collette Childers, Rob and Joy Sage, Carol Bednar, Ann Rimmer, Marilyn Slagle, Stacy Russo, and Susan Tschabrun for your continued support and belief in me. vi To my beloved United Voices of Praise gospel choir, thank you for keeping music on my tongue, a beat in my step, and a song in my heart. To my sisters in the Women's Singing Circle of Hillsborough, thank you for reminding me of the freedom in liturgy and the power of singing together. To the clay studio community at the Arts Center, thank you for allowing me to pursue my passion of throwing clay and for the unending support you've offered to me. I am particularly indebted to the amazing women comprising a very special writing partners team. Membership of the group has changed over the years but I am grateful to Angela Murillo, Ericka Patillo, Sumayya Ahmed, Leslie Thomson, Sarah Ramdeen, and Nina Exner. We all share Sumayya's vision to “keep hope alive”. The many, many hours we spent sitting and working together (in the myriad of coffee shops across central North Carolina) gave me the strength and motivation to complete this project; I can never thank you enough and will always consider you among my dearest friends. To my first daughter, Pyne Elizabeth, I thank you for allowing me to be a part of your life. I continue to be amazed and inspired by your beautiful spirit and fearless strength. You are the impetus for this inquiry and my love for you will never diminish. To my daughter, Linden Lea, I thank you for the immense joy you have brought to our family. I hope my devotion (yet too frequent time away from you) to this work will instill confidence in you to pursue your own dreams and passions; I will support you wherever that leads. You are living up to the poem/song behind your name, "I be free to go abroad, or take again my homeward road; to where, for me, the apple tree do lean down low in Linden Lea". You will always be home for me and I hope the same will forever be true for you. Finally, the unfailing love and concrete support of my precious husband, David, are what truly sustained me through this process. Dave, I cannot thank you enough for being my rock and vii provider of refuge and resurgence. As the smartest, most rational, and truly compassionate person I know, your faith in me is appreciated; when you say, "Yes, Rachael, you can do this" I believe you. You are always at your best when I am at my worst; I remain the luckiest gal in the world. viii TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ...................................................................................................................... xv LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................................... xvi CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................
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