Risch Andreas.pdf - Osteopathic Research

Methodology
The data for the metaphor analysis were retrieved from 10 interviews with German
speaking osteopaths with an academic background. A thematically structured
questionnaire was applied and the data were systematically analyzed after complete
transcription by quantitative and qualitative evaluation. The frequency of metaphors
and their application to different metaphoric concepts as well as the cognitive
concepts for health of osteopaths were documented and discussed.
Results
1. High Grade of metaphorization (3,9 %) in osteopathic language.
2. Highest single categories of metaphors: „Other sensory perception
(OSP) (15%), „Orientation“ (12%), “Science/Technique/Craft“ (STC)
(10%).
3. The most important concepts of health in osteopathy are: HEALTH
AS (sensory) EXPERIENCE (25%), HEALTH AS (sociological)
EXPERIENCE (20%), HEALTH AS CHANGE (14%), HEALTH AS
ASSOCIATION (11%), HEALTH AS (technological) EXPERIENCE
(10%)
4. Conflicts in the integration of subjective personal experience and
osteopathic professional understanding of health.
5. Good competence for change and adaptation with deficits in
communication and exchange of osteopathic contents about health.
6. Technical and biomechanical concepts become less prevalent with
increasing professional experience in favour of a process oriented
approach.
7. Low metaphor preferences for organic, rhythmic and movement
oriented concepts for health.
8. Tendency towards a normative behaviour regarding a
social/psychological/ethical understanding of health.
9. Low metaphoric grade for economic concepts of health.
10. The metaphoric concepts suggest a change of paradigm towards a
salutogenetic point of view compared with allopathic medicine.