VOLITION AS NARRATIVE - UNDERSTANDING MOTIVATION IN CHRONIC ILLNESS

This paper expands the current concept of volition in the Model of Hum an Occupation. The present version views personal causation, values, a nd interests as traits that determine choices to engage in occupations . Through a detailed investigation of the life histories of two person s with psychiatric disorders, this paper illustrates how volition is e mbedded in a personal narrative. Two features of narratively organized volition are highlighted: (a) how narrative places decisions and acti ons within a plot, thus giving them meaning in the context of a whole life, and (b) how the personal narrative motivates the person by servi ng as a context for choosing and action. Thus, the paper illustrates h ow persons seek to narrate their lives and live their life narratives.