title: Bringing Antonovsky's salutogenic theory to life: A qualitative inquiry into the experiences of young people with congenital heart disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antonovsky coined sense of coherence (SOC) as the central concept of his salutogenic theory focusing on the origins of well-being. SOC captures the degree to which one perceives the world as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. Life events and resources are considered to be the building blocks of a person's SOC. However, mainly quantitative studies have looked into the role of life events and resources. Therefore, the present study aims to gain a deeper insight into the experiences of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) regarding resources and life events.
  
  
  METHODS
  For this qualitative study, patients were selected from the sample of a preceding study on development of SOC (n = 429). In total, 12 young individuals with CHD who had either a weak (n = 6) or strong SOC (n = 6) over time were interviewed (8 women, median age of 20 years). Data analysis was based on the constant comparative method as detailed in the Qualitative Analysis Guide of Leuven. Commonalities and differences between patients from both groups were explored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The following themes emerged: (1) self-concept; (2) social environment; (3) daytime activities; (4) life events and disease-related turning points; (5) stress and coping; and (6) illness integration. Additionally, the degree of personal control was identified as an overarching topic that transcended the other themes when comparing both groups of patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results may have implications for the structure and content of interventions improving well-being in young people with CHD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Silke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Apers
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rassart
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Koen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Luyckx
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Child and Adolescent Development, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Leen
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oris
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Research Foundation Flanders (FWO), Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Goossens
authors.affiliation: Division of Congenital and Structural Cardiology, University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Budts
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven-University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.|Institute of Health and Care Sciences, Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden; philip.moons@kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moons
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001294:Attitude to Health; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D036301:Qualitative Research; D060685:Sense of Coherence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Chronic disease; heart defects congenital; qualitative research; salutogenesis; sense of coherence