The Hermeneutic Circle Helps to Accumulate Knowledge and Understanding： An Empirical Example of Public Health Nurses＇ Experiences of Supporting Multiple-birth Families

In phenomenological research, the reduction is a complex reflective attentiveness required for phenomenological understanding. A literature review revealed that little research has been done on health care professionals working with multiple-birth families. Van Manen＇s method has been variously used in nursing science. The aim of this article is to describe the hermeneutic circle and the method of reduction, providing an empirical example of the experiences of public health nurses working with multiple-birth families. The data consisted of open interviews （n = 38） with three participant groups--parents of twins, nurses, and family care workers--written output from them and the researcher＇s notes. The phenomena of the lifeworld of multiple-birth families as described by nurses can be expressed as： ＂recognizing the strain＂, ＂targeting special needs＂, and ＂lightening the load of daily life＂. Reduction enables in-depth phenomenological hermeneutic research, helping to see the research stages both as parts and as a whole and the hermeneutic circle that accumulates understanding. Social and health care professionals need to listen more to parents＇ voices to better understand the needs and situation of multiple-birth families. More education and training is needed to empower parents of twins. This article can stimulate discussion on phenomenology, hermeneutic research and reduction.

Future of processing and facilitating change and learning

The field of the sciences of the mind is evolving fast.With the diversification of knowledge and accumulation of data,often lacking integration and reproducibility,questions arise.The role of critical thinking and research is evident.As the science of the unconscious,psychoanalysis provides a method and theory to understand human minds and mentalities,helping the patient know his mind and transform action into reflection.Mental activities,including social skills,develop in the social context,depending on the social environment’s demands and resources put onto the individual.Encoding emotional signals,markers of meaning for the individual,is ontogenetically necessary and has influences on memory encoding.Beyond theoretical understanding,implicit relational knowledge is actualized in the therapeutic setting.With a strong focus on experiencing emotional reconsolidation of memories,previous relationships’repercussions are enriched with broadening viewpoints in the analytic environment.The long-term effects of psychotherapeutic treatments have been examined.A sufficient explanation of the specific factors contributing to success or an answer when an impact is lacking is still under investigation.When investigating subliminal and implicit mechanisms leading to memory reconsolidation and the formation of functional object relations and interaction patterns,the focus is set on affective interplay and processing prior/during and after social interactions.The present paper discusses which parameters might contribute to the reshaping of memories and the linkage of memory with the emotional load of experience.Providing insights into such dynamic mental phenomena could enhance process research by investigating moment by moment interactions in psychoanalysis,treatment,and learning processes.Due to the research subject’s complexity,different research methods and integration of associated research fields are required.