Women's Experiences of the Meaning of Empowerment

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Abstract
The purpose of this exploratory study is to understand and develop the concept of empowerment from a theoretical and a practical perspective with a particular focus on women's perception of the meaning of empowerment in their lives. The 15 study participants consisted of women aged 21 to 71 who self-identified with the concept of empowerment in response to a recruitment flyer. The women participated in semistructured in-depth interviews with a follow-up opportunity for group participation. Qualitative analysis of the results indicated that women experience empowerment as a multifaceted expansive process with three central themes: the development of an internal sense of self, the ability to take action based on their internal sense of self, and a salient theme of connectedness. The subcomponents of the transformational process will be defined and results will be discussed in the context of current understanding of empowerment and women's health.

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