This study explores the lived experience of returning to work after experiencing a traumatic injury through a heuristic phenomenological methodology. The researcher will compile a personal narrative of their experience surviving a traumatic motorcycle accident and returning to work. They will also interview 10 other individuals about their experiences with a traumatic event and returning to work. The goal is to gain insight into what constitutes a successful return to work from the perspective of trauma survivors, which has been lacking in previous research that primarily focuses on specific injury types or accommodations. Analyzing all collected experiences may reveal commonalities, differences, and significant insights to help inform organizational psychologists and employers.

1. The lived experience of returning to
work after a traumatic injury: a
heuristic study
Elizabeth R. York
Capella University
I/O Psychology Doctoral Candidate

2. Introduction
Many people will experience a traumatic event
during their lifetime. These events can have dramatic
effect on the individual, and may adversely affect many
areas of daily life from interactions with family to ability
to perform normal daily functions such as grooming and
health functions, household chores or driving. For many,
a traumatic event can affect their ability to work, be
productive in a work environment, or interact acceptably
with coworkers.
According to Assumptive World Theory (Janoff-
Bulman, 1989), trauma undermines our positively biased
inner representations that may alter the way in which
individuals deal with stressful experiences.

3. Research indicates that what constitutes
successful return to work after trauma continues to be
explored. While many of these studies focus on a
particular type of injury or trauma, studies that focus on
the experience from the injured person's perspective are
rare, and employers’ understanding of the process and
thus the means to affect successful reintegration are
widely varied and inconsistent.
The process of returning to work after trauma is far
more complicated than simply rejoining the workforce. A
heuristic study compiled by a trauma survivor may offer
organizational psychologists insight and help guide and
inform employers on how to develop programs and
strategies to produce more effective return to work
outcomes.

4. Statement of the Problem
A significant proportion of the population will experience at
least one traumatic event in their lifetime, and, unfortunately, many
will go on to develop adverse psychological outcomes. These traumas
can include such life –altering events such as motor vehicle accidents,
rape and sexual abuse, natural disasters, combat/war, childhood or
adult physical abuse, or any other extreme or unusual crisis outside of
the range of usual human experience. Many individuals exposed to
trauma will subsequently develop mental health-related challenges.
Trauma exposure has be associated with mood disorders, anxiety
disorders, substance use disorders and externalizing disorders (Kessler,
Davis, & Kendler, 1997).
An initial exploration of literature related to trauma has found
a wealth of material that focuses on trauma. However, there is
currently an incomplete understanding among theoretical literature
with respect to the lived experience of returning to work after
traumatic injury.

5. Theories Supporting this Research
Studies have found that return to pre-injury work status
(return to work) is the origin of rehabilitation medicine and the
ultimate expression of successful social reintegration after major
trauma, because work increases a person’s sense of self-worth and
personal fulfillment (Holtslag, Post, van der Werken, & Lindeman,
2007).
The value of work is well recognized. One study found that
active involvement in society (such as engaging in employment) and
financial independence (receiving wages for that employment) appears
to be closely related to health and well-being. Holtslag et al. (2007)
also note that, "from an economic viewpoint, the societal costs of
productivity loss due to disability might considerably exceed the direct
costs of medical care (Pg. 87)."

6. Substantial research has been devoted to the study of
returning individuals with traumatic injuries to work. Many studies
reported that RTW after physical injury varied widely from 26 to 72%
(Zeigler, et al., 2011; Opsteegh, et al., 2009).
However, most studies have focused on specific injury types
and the ability of the individual to perform the functions of the job, or
what accommodations the employer can provide to assist the injured
employee to perform within the limitations or restrictions resulting
from the injury (Holtslag, Post, van der Werken, & Lindeman,
2007;Krause, et al., 1999;Yasuda, Wehman, Targett, Cifu, & West,
2001; MacKenzie E. , et al., 1998).
A heuristic study that explores the return-to-work experience
from the trauma survivor’s point of view may help to provide insights
that are otherwise not available via other means, such as those
provided through observation.

7. Methodology
HEURISTIC PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY
This heuristic phenomenological study will seek to understand the
essence of the lived experience of returning to work after traumatic injury.
A heuristic study, a form of phenomenological inquiry, brings to the
fore the personal experience and insights of the researcher, asking the
foundational question: What is my experience of this phenomenon and the
essential experience of others who also experience this phenomenon
intensely (Patton, 2002)?
As a trauma survivor, I will explore the experience of returning to
work while recovering from a traumatic injury. I will share my perceptions,
thoughts, discoveries and insights that grew out of that experience. A
heuristic study written by a trauma survivor will illuminate some of the issues
heretofore not recognized by organizational psychologists and help to inform
their work with trauma survivors as well as with employers in their efforts to
accommodate injured or traumatized employees. A heuristic study provides
insight unique to the individual who experienced the trauma that is
unavailable to the employer from any other means (Moustakas, 1990).

8. Methodology
Data will be collected primarily through personal experience
and presented via personal narrative. The experience of returning to
work after the trauma of a motorcycle accident that occurred in July
2011 and moving toward recovery from trauma experience will be
shared through an intimate and uniquely personal perspective
(Moustakas, 1990).
The experiences of 10 other individual participants will be
gathered via personal interview and compiled to provide supporting
data to enhance that provided primarily by myself, as main researcher.
Participants will be asked to discuss the effects they experienced as a
result of the traumatic event, and their experiences of recovery and,
specifically, in returning to work. Data gathered will focus on the
participant’s personal experiences, thoughts, feelings, insights, and
discoveries that occurred while returning to work.

9. Methodology
I will be compiling a personal narrative of my
experiences in surviving a traumatic event, and discussing my
return to work experience. This narrative will consist of both
written recollection and current journaling as the recovery
process is ongoing.
In addition, Interviews with be conducted directly with
10 participants, either in person, by phone or in writing
provided by the participant. Information will be gathered
regarding the traumatic event, its nature, cause, and any
other pertinent details guided by the series of open ended
questions presented in the RTW interview guidance. These
questions are designed to encourage the participant to tell
their story, to describe the experience, their feelings,
impressions, and insights.

10. Methodology
Analysis will consist of reviewing the data
for commonalities found to exist between
experiences, noting any unique differences that
stand out, and then drawing insights or
information that may emerge and may appear
significant.

11. Data Collection Plan
• Develop narrative of personal experiences of surviving
a traumatic event and then returning to work
• Journal current experiences, noting ongoing
characteristics, symptoms or characteristics that have
resolved over time, and recording thoughts, insights,
and discoveries related to the experience of returning
to work after trauma
• Interviews of 10 participants to gather their personal
experiences
• Analyze all information gathered for commonalities,
unique differences and anything significant presented
by participants

12. Questions

13. References
Janoff-Bulman, R. (1989). Assumptive worlds and the stress of traumatic events: Applications of the schema construct. Social Cognition, 8, 20-27.
Holtslag, H. R., Post, M. W., van der Werken, C., & Lindeman, E. (2007 йил April). Return to work after major trauma. Clinical Rehabilitation, 373-83.
Kessler, R., Davis, C., & Kendler, K. (1997). Childhood adversity and adult psychiatric disorder in the US National Comorbidity Survey. Psychological Medicine,
27, 1101-1119.
Krause, J., Kewman, D., DeVivo, M., Maynard, F., Coker, J., Roach, M., . . . Wokke, J. (1999). Employment after spinal cord injury: an analysis of cases from the Model Spinal
Cord Injury Systems. Arch Phys Med Rehabil, 80, 1492-1500.
MacKenzie, E., Morris, J., Jurkovich, G., Yasui, Y., Cushing, B., Burgess, A., . . . Swiontkowski, M. (1998). Return to work following injury: the role of economic,
social, and job-related factors. Am J Public Health, 88, 1630-1637.
Moustakas, C. E. (1990). Heuristic Research: Design, Methodology, and Applications. Newbury Park, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.
Opsteegh, L., Reinders-Messelink, H., Schollier, D., Groothoff, J., Postema, K., & Dijkstra, P. (2009). Determinants of return to work in patients with hand
disorders and hand injuries. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 19, 245-55.
Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative Research & Evaluation Methods, (3 ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA, USA: Sage Publications, Inc.
Yasuda, M., Wehman, P., Targett, P., Cifu, D., & West, M. (2001). Return to work for persons with traumatic brain injury. American Journal of Physical
Medicine and Rehabilitation, 80, 852-864.
Zeigler, M., Luppa, M., Meisel, H., Gunther, L., Winkler, D., & Tousaint, R. (2011). The impact of psychiatric comorbidity on the return to work in patient
undergoing herniated disk surgery. Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, 21, 54-65.