The aim of this longitudinal study was to explore 10 patients’ experiences of the meaningthey attribute to the substance of hope and the process of hoping during the first 3 to 4years following a spinal cord injury. This qualitative study is a synthesis of three empiricalstudies of hope and the overall aim was to deepen the understanding of the phenomenon ofhope, based on the text representing the main contextual findings, to develop a theoreticalframework on hope within a context of spinal cord injury, illustrated in the conceptual model.In correspondence with Ricoeur, this conceptual model, which was developed from a newunderstanding, based on a new text of the phenomenon of hope, develops a new and deeperunderstanding of the meaning of hope. Findings revealed 9 themes: universal hope, uncertainhope, hope as a turning point, the power of hope, boundless creative and flexible hope,enduring hope, despairing hope, body-related hope, and existential hope. The conceptualmodel was derived from these themes, illustrated as The Battle between Hoping and Sufferingand The Road of Hope. The interpretations also revealed a distinction between being in hopeand having hope, and having a hope of improvements was the main focus at the early stage ofrehabilitation, whereas being in hope as being just fine was the main focus after 3 to 4 years ofrehabilitation. Key words: conceptual model on hope, despair, longing, suffering, viciouscycle
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