Reconstructing the Self Through Solo Travel: A Narrative Study of Divorced Women Using the NRMM Method

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While existing research has examined post-divorce distress and adjustment, limited attention has been given to experiential pathways of identity reconstruction. The present qualitative study explores how solo travel functions as a reconstructive psychosocial space through which divorced women process trauma, re-author identity, and cultivate resilience. Ten divorced women who undertook solo travel within three years of marital dissolution participated in in-depth narrative interviews. Data were analyzed using the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework, which examines rupture, emotional processing, meaning-making, identity reconfiguration, and emergent resilience. Findings reveal a coherent transformation trajectory across cases. Divorce was initially narrated as identity disintegration marked by shame, diminished agency, and temporal disorientation. The decision to travel alone represented activation of autonomy, while embodied mastery experiences during travel facilitated restoration of competence and self-efficacy. Subsequent meaning-making processes reframed divorce from failure to survival, enabling transition from contamination narratives to redemptive self-authorship. Resilience emerged not as absence of distress but as narrative coherence, future orientation, and restored self-trust. The study extends narrative identity and post-traumatic growth scholarship by demonstrating how embodied and spatial experiences scaffold cognitive reconstruction. Solo travel functioned as a liminal bridge between rupture and renewal, highlighting the role of experiential autonomy in fostering resilient identity transformation following marital dissolution. Divorce Narrative Identity Solo Travel NRMM Resilience Post-Traumatic Growth Introduction Divorce is not merely a legal dissolution of marriage; it is a profound psychosocial rupture that destabilizes identity, disrupts relational schemas, and challenges existential coherence. For women in many socio-cultural contexts—particularly collectivistic and patriarchal societies—marriage operates not only as a relational bond but as a primary axis of identity construction. When that bond dissolves, the consequences often extend far beyond relational loss, triggering identity fragmentation, stigma internalization, and psychological distress (Amato, 2010 ; Kalmijn & Monden, 2006). The present study examines how solo travel functions as a reconstructive psychosocial space through which divorced women renegotiate trauma, re-author identity, and cultivate resilience, using the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method as an analytic framework. Divorce as Identity Rupture Identity is not a static entity but a dynamic narrative construction shaped through roles, relationships, and sociocultural positioning (McAdams & McLean, 2013 ). Narrative identity theory posits that individuals develop an internalized and evolving life story that integrates past, present, and anticipated future into a coherent sense of self (McAdams, 2001 ). Major life transitions—such as divorce—constitute “biographical disruptions” (Bury, 1982 ) that fracture this narrative coherence. Empirical research consistently shows that divorce is associated with heightened risks of depression, anxiety, lowered self-esteem, and diminished life satisfaction (Sbarra et al., 2015). While both men and women experience psychological distress following marital dissolution, women often face compounded identity challenges due to socially prescribed gender roles that tie self-worth to marital stability and relational success (Chiriboga, 2017). In many contexts, the role of “wife” functions as a socially legitimized identity, and its loss may produce not only personal grief but also social marginalization. Identity disruption following divorce can manifest in three interrelated domains: Role Loss : The collapse of relational identities (wife, daughter-in-law, partner). Narrative Discontinuity : Difficulty integrating divorce into a coherent life story. Stigmatized Self-Concept : Internalization of cultural narratives that frame divorced women as deficient or morally suspect (Tadros & Finney, 2018). From a narrative perspective, divorce represents a “contaminated turning point,” where positive past narratives become overshadowed by failure, betrayal, or rejection (McAdams et al., 2001 ). The challenge, therefore, lies in transforming contamination sequences into redemption narratives—stories where adversity catalyzes growth. Trauma, Meaning-Making, and Post-Divorce Adjustment While not all divorces constitute trauma in a clinical sense, many involve chronic stress, emotional abuse, betrayal, or prolonged relational conflict. Even amicable separations can evoke profound grief and identity disorientation. Trauma theory emphasizes that psychologically overwhelming experiences disrupt assumptive worlds—the fundamental beliefs about safety, trust, and self-worth (Janoff-Bulman, 1992 ). Divorce, especially when unexpected or stigmatized, can destabilize these assumptions. Meaning-making processes are central to recovery from such disruptions. Park ( 2010 ) conceptualizes meaning-making as the attempt to reconcile situational meaning (the divorce event) with global meaning (core beliefs and identity). When incongruence persists, distress intensifies; when integration occurs, psychological adaptation improves. Post-traumatic growth (PTG) research further suggests that adversity can catalyze positive transformation in domains such as personal strength, new possibilities, improved relationships, and spiritual development (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004 ). Importantly, PTG does not negate distress but emerges through cognitive and narrative processing of traumatic experiences. Narrative processing allows individuals to reorganize fragmented experiences into coherent self-stories. Through storytelling, individuals attribute causality, responsibility, and meaning to events, thereby reconstructing identity continuity (Neimeyer, 2006 ). However, structured opportunities for narrative reconstruction are often absent in everyday contexts, particularly where divorce is socially silenced or stigmatized. Gender, Mobility, and Social Stigma Women’s post-divorce experiences are shaped not only by personal loss but by cultural narratives regulating female mobility, autonomy, and sexuality. Feminist scholarship has long argued that women’s identities are socially constructed within relational and domestic frameworks (Gilligan, 1982 ; Butler, 1990). Divorce destabilizes these frameworks, exposing women to surveillance, moral judgment, and restricted autonomy. In many societies, a divorced woman’s public presence is scrutinized. Solo mobility—traveling alone—may challenge deeply embedded gender norms that equate women’s safety and legitimacy with male accompaniment. Thus, when divorced women choose solo travel, they enact not merely recreational behavior but a symbolic claim to autonomy. Research on gendered mobility suggests that travel can function as a space of resistance and self-definition (Wilson & Little, 2008 ). Women who travel alone often report experiences of empowerment, boundary-setting, and identity exploration. However, these findings are under-theorized within trauma and post-divorce frameworks. The intersection of divorce and solo travel is therefore psychologically significant: divorce disrupts identity; solo travel may provide a liminal arena for reconstructing it. Solo Travel as Liminal Space Anthropological theories of liminality provide a useful conceptual lens. Turner (1969) described liminality as an in-between phase during rites of passage, where individuals are temporarily separated from established social roles and hierarchies. In liminal spaces, identities become fluid, and transformation becomes possible. Solo travel can function as a self-initiated liminal experience. It involves physical separation from familiar environments, suspension of routine roles, and exposure to novel contexts. For divorced women, travel may temporarily dissolve stigmatized identities and enable experimentation with alternative self-concepts. Psychological research on experiential learning and mastery experiences further supports this view. Bandura’s ( 1997 ) theory of self-efficacy emphasizes that mastery experiences—successfully navigating challenges—enhance perceived competence. Planning itineraries, managing logistics, and navigating unfamiliar terrain may strengthen self-efficacy that was previously undermined by marital conflict or relational dependency. Additionally, embodied experiences during travel—walking, trekking, swimming, or practicing yoga—facilitate reconnection with bodily agency. Trauma research underscores the importance of embodied regulation in healing (van der Kolk, 2014 ). Reclaiming the body as strong and capable counters narratives of rejection, inadequacy, or victimhood. Identity Reconstruction Through Narrative Narrative identity theory posits that individuals construct their sense of self through internalized life stories characterized by themes of agency and communion (McAdams & McLean, 2013 ). Agency reflects autonomy and control; communion reflects relational connection. Divorce often destabilizes communion narratives while simultaneously challenging agency. Reconstruction requires re-authoring the self-story to integrate adversity without defining the self exclusively through it. Redemption sequences—where suffering leads to growth—are associated with psychological well-being (McAdams et al., 2001 ). In contrast, contamination sequences—where positive experiences become tainted—predict distress. The Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method builds upon these foundations by systematically examining: Narrative rupture Emotional articulation Meaning attribution Identity reconfiguration Emergent resilience themes NRMM is particularly suited to contexts where identity disruption necessitates structured re-authoring. Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction, NRMM foregrounds narrative coherence and self-authorship. Resilience as Dynamic Reconstruction Resilience is increasingly conceptualized not as a fixed trait but as a dynamic process of adaptation and reorganization following adversity (Masten, 2014 ). In the context of divorce, resilience may involve redefining life goals, renegotiating social identities, and cultivating new competencies. Importantly, resilience is relational and contextual. Access to supportive communities, safe environments, and opportunities for mastery shape adaptive outcomes. Solo travel may provide micro-contexts of resilience-building by fostering autonomy, social experimentation, and embodied competence. Moreover, narrative coherence itself predicts resilience. Individuals who construct coherent, emotionally integrated stories of adversity demonstrate greater psychological adjustment (Adler et al., 2016 ). Thus, narrative reconstruction is not merely reflective but constitutive of resilience. The Research Gap Despite extensive research on divorce adjustment, trauma recovery, and narrative identity, limited scholarship has examined how self-initiated experiential transitions—such as solo travel—facilitate identity reconstruction among divorced women. Existing studies on women’s travel emphasize empowerment but rarely integrate trauma-informed or narrative frameworks. Similarly, post-divorce research focuses predominantly on distress, co-parenting, or economic outcomes, neglecting experiential pathways of growth. Furthermore, few studies employ structured narrative methodologies such as NRMM to analyze identity transformation processes. There remains a need for in-depth qualitative exploration that captures the lived experiences, turning points, and meaning-making processes through which divorced women reconstruct coherent, agentic selves. The Present Study The present study addresses this gap by examining how ten divorced women who engaged in solo travel narratively reconstruct their identities, process trauma, and cultivate resilience. Using the NRMM method, the study explores: How divorce is narrated as identity rupture. How solo travel is framed as a turning point. How meaning-making processes shift self-concept. How resilience emerges through narrative coherence. By foregrounding women’s own narratives, this study positions solo travel not merely as leisure but as a psychosocial intervention—a liminal practice of self-reclamation. Through NRMM analysis, the study conceptualizes solo travel as a reconstructive bridge between rupture and resilience. Divorce destabilizes identity, disrupts narrative coherence, and often engenders stigma. Yet within rupture lies the possibility of reconstruction. Solo travel, as a self-directed liminal experience, may create the psychological conditions necessary for narrative re-authoring, embodied reclamation, and resilience building. Through the NRMM method, this study seeks to illuminate how divorced women transform stories of loss into narratives of self-authorship. Methodology Research Design This study employed a qualitative narrative research design to explore how divorced women reconstruct identity, process trauma, and cultivate resilience through solo travel experiences. Narrative methodology was selected because identity reconstruction is fundamentally a storied process. Divorce represents not merely an event but a disruption in the continuity of self-narrative; therefore, a methodology capable of capturing lived experience as a story was essential. Qualitative narrative inquiry allows researchers to examine how individuals organize experience temporally, attribute meaning to rupture, and reconstruct coherence following adversity (Clandinin & Connelly, 2000 ; Riessman, 2008 ). Rather than fragmenting data into decontextualized themes alone, narrative approaches preserve sequence, voice, turning points, and transformation arcs. Given that this study investigates identity reconstruction—a process inherently embedded in storytelling—narrative inquiry provides epistemological alignment between research question and method. The study was guided by a constructivist-interpretivist paradigm, which assumes that reality is socially constructed and that identity emerges through interaction, discourse, and meaning-making processes. Divorce and solo travel were therefore examined not as objective phenomena but as subjectively interpreted experiences embedded within sociocultural contexts. Rationale for Narrative Interviews Identity as Narrative Construction Narrative identity theory posits that individuals internalize and construct evolving life stories that integrate reconstructed pasts and imagined futures (McAdams & McLean, 2013 ). When identity is disrupted by major life events—such as divorce—individuals must reorganize their autobiographical narratives to restore coherence. Narrative interviews provide access to this reorganization process. Unlike structured interviews that elicit discrete responses, narrative interviews invite participants to tell extended, temporally ordered stories. This format allows examination of: Narrative rupture Emotional articulation Causal attributions Redemption or contamination sequences Emergent identity claims Since the present study examines how women narratively reconstruct selfhood after marital dissolution, eliciting uninterrupted life stories was methodologically necessary. Trauma Processing Through Storytelling Traumatic and highly stressful experiences are often encoded as fragmented memories lacking coherent integration (van der Kolk, 2014 ). Narrative articulation serves a regulatory function, enabling cognitive processing and emotional integration (Pennebaker & Chung, 2011 ). Storytelling thus becomes both data and process—revealing how participants are actively reorganizing meaning. Divorce, especially when embedded in emotional abuse, betrayal, or chronic relational conflict, may carry traumatic features. Narrative interviews create space for participants to contextualize suffering within broader life trajectories rather than being reduced to symptom checklists. Capturing Turning Points and Liminal Experiences Solo travel, conceptualized in this study as a liminal transition, represents a potential turning point in participants’ life stories. Narrative interviews are uniquely suited to identifying turning point markers—moments participants frame as transformative. Participants were encouraged to describe: Who they were before divorce How divorce altered their self-perception What motivated the decision to travel How they experienced the journey How they define themselves now This temporal structure allowed examination of identity continuity and discontinuity across phases. The Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) Method Theoretical Foundations of NRMM The Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method is grounded in narrative identity theory, constructivist trauma theory, and meaning-making frameworks (Park, 2010 ; Neimeyer, 2006 ). NRMM conceptualizes identity disruption as a narrative rupture requiring reconstruction through meaning attribution, emotional processing, and self-redefinition. NRMM was chosen because it: Explicitly focuses on identity reconstruction following rupture. Integrates emotional and cognitive meaning-making processes. Allows examination of resilience as emergent narrative coherence. Preserves temporal sequencing of lived experience. Given the study’s aim—to explore how solo travel facilitates reconstruction after divorce—NRMM provided both analytic rigor and conceptual alignment. Core Phases of NRMM Analysis NRMM analysis proceeded through five structured stages: Phase 1: Narrative Rupture Identification Stories were examined for expressions of identity collapse, fragmentation, or discontinuity. Indicators included metaphors of loss, confusion, shame, and role disintegration. Phase 2: Emotional Processing Markers Narratives were analyzed for affective language, shifts in tone, and emotional integration versus avoidance. Particular attention was given to movement from dysregulation to reflective articulation. Phase 3: Meaning-Making Reconstruction This phase examined how participants interpreted divorce and travel experiences. We coded for causal explanations, moral positioning, and reframing from failure to survival or growth. Phase 4: Identity Reconfiguration Statements reflecting new self-definitions (e.g., “independent,” “strong,” “self-aware”) were identified. Changes in agency language (from passive to active voice) were analyzed. Phase 5: Emergent Resilience Themes Resilience was operationalized as narrative coherence, future orientation, boundary-setting, and perceived self-efficacy. This staged approach ensured analytic depth while maintaining methodological transparency. Participants Sampling Strategy A purposive sampling strategy was employed to recruit participants who met the following criteria: Women aged 30–45 years Legally divorced within the past three years Undertook at least one solo travel experience post-divorce Self-reported engaging in travel for healing, reflection, or personal growth Purposive sampling was appropriate because the study required participants with specific experiential knowledge relevant to identity reconstruction through travel. Sample Characteristics Ten women participated in the study (N = 10). All participants were urban, educated, and employed in professional sectors. Duration since divorce ranged from 8 months to 3 years. Solo travel experiences ranged from 4-day retreats to 3-week journeys. The sample size aligns with qualitative narrative research standards emphasizing depth over breadth. Narrative analysis prioritizes richness of data, temporal coherence, and interpretive complexity rather than statistical generalization. Data Collection Procedures Interview Structure Interviews were semi-structured but narrative-led, lasting 90–120 minutes. Participants were first invited to narrate their divorce story with minimal interruption. Follow-up prompts facilitated elaboration without imposing interpretive frames. Sample prompts included: “Tell me the story of your marriage and divorce.” “What was happening internally when you decided to travel alone?” “Describe a moment during the trip that felt transformative.” “How do you define yourself today?” Participants were encouraged to speak chronologically to capture narrative flow. Ethical Considerations Research examining poverty and adolescent neurodevelopment carries significant ethical responsibility because interpretations of neural differences can shape public discourse, policy decisions, and societal attitudes toward marginalized communities. Neuroscientific findings, particularly those linking socioeconomic disadvantage to brain structure or function, risk being misinterpreted as evidence of intrinsic deficiency or biological determinism. Such interpretations can inadvertently reinforce stigma, justify inequitable systems, or shift responsibility from structural conditions to individuals (Noble & Farah, 2013; Farah, 2017). Accordingly, this review adopts a reflexive and context-sensitive stance, emphasizing that observed neural variations reflect experience-dependent plasticity within socially patterned environments rather than fixed or essentialized traits. An additional ethical concern involves the individualization of structurally produced inequality. Poverty is embedded within systems of racism, caste stratification, gendered exclusion, and policy-level disparities that shape exposure to stress and opportunity. Interpreting neural findings without acknowledging these macro-level determinants risks obscuring the sociopolitical origins of adversity and framing inequality as biologically located within disadvantaged youth. This review therefore situates neurodevelopment within structural contexts, aligning neuroscientific interpretation with social epidemiology and public health perspectives that foreground systemic accountability (Duncan et al., 2017; McLaughlin et al., 2019). There are also ethical implications related to translation and intervention. While identifying neural correlates of adversity may inform prevention strategies, interventions should prioritize environmental and structural improvements—such as enhancing educational quality, economic security, and relational stability—rather than focusing narrowly on remediating individual-level “deficits.” Given evidence of continued neuroplasticity during adolescence (Fuhrmann et al., 2015), policy and community-level interventions may have meaningful developmental impact. Ethical communication of research findings should therefore emphasize heterogeneity, probabilistic risk, and developmental potential rather than inevitability. Finally, as this article synthesizes previously published research and does not involve primary data collection, formal institutional ethical approval was not required. Nevertheless, interpretive responsibility remains central. Care has been taken to avoid pathologizing language, to highlight variability and protective factors, and to frame poverty-related neural differences within broader contexts of structural inequality and developmental plasticity. Such an approach supports scientifically rigorous and socially responsible engagement with neuroscience research on socioeconomic disadvantage. Data Analysis Strategy Transcription and Immersion All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The researcher engaged in repeated reading to ensure immersion and familiarity with narrative structure, tone, and emotional shifts. Narrative Structuring Each participant’s story was first reconstructed as a cohesive narrative summary before cross-case analysis. This step preserved within-case coherence prior to identifying shared patterns. NRMM Coding Procedure Coding proceeded inductively and deductively: Deductive coding aligned with NRMM phases. Inductive coding captured emergent metaphors, symbols, and turning points. Analytic memos documented reflexive insights, interpretive decisions, and emerging theoretical connections. Researcher Positionality and Reflexivity As narrative research acknowledges co-construction of meaning, researcher reflexivity was integral. The researcher maintained a reflexive journal documenting assumptions about divorce, gender norms, and autonomy. This minimized interpretive imposition and preserved participant voice.The researcher acknowledged that personal beliefs about agency, empowerment, and post-divorce growth could subtly influence probing questions, interpretation of turning points, or privileging redemption narratives over contamination sequences. To mitigate interpretive bias, the researcher consciously adopted a stance of epistemic humility—prioritizing participants’ language, metaphors, and self-definitions rather than imposing pre-structured empowerment frameworks. Attention was paid to preserving ambiguity and contradiction within narratives, particularly in cases where growth coexisted with lingering grief or vulnerability. Reflexivity was operationalized as an ongoing methodological practice rather than a retrospective acknowledgment. A reflexive journal was maintained throughout data collection and analysis to document emotional responses, emerging assumptions, and analytic inclinations. For example, instances where participants described fear or ambivalence toward travel were carefully examined to ensure they were not prematurely coded as empowerment markers. Reflexive memoing also captured how the researcher’s socio-cultural location—including educational privilege, professional identity, and familiarity with urban mobility—might differ from participants’ lived constraints, thereby shaping interpretive lenses. During cross-case analysis, peer debriefing sessions with qualitative scholars were conducted to interrogate thematic coherence and prevent overgeneralization. By embedding reflexivity within each stage of NRMM analysis, the study sought to enhance credibility, transparency, and ethical responsibility in representing participants’ reconstructed identities. Methodological Justification The integration of narrative interviews with the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method was methodologically justified by the ontological and epistemological nature of the research problem—identity reconstruction following divorce. Divorce represents a biographical rupture that destabilizes narrative coherence; therefore, a methodology capable of capturing temporality, turning points, emotional processing, and emergent self-definitions was essential. Narrative interviews allowed participants to articulate lived experience in storied form, preserving sequence, voice, metaphor, and meaning-making processes that structured instruments or purely thematic analyses might fragment. The NRMM framework further provided analytic rigor by systematically tracing the progression from rupture to re-authoring, thereby linking experiential accounts of solo travel to shifts in identity and resilience. This alignment between research question (how identity is reconstructed), theoretical framework (narrative identity and meaning-making), and analytic strategy (NRMM phases) ensured methodological coherence, depth, and conceptual validity, making the chosen design particularly suited to examining transformative psychosocial processes in post-divorce contexts. Results The present study sought to examine how divorced women reconstruct identity, process trauma, and cultivate resilience through solo travel, using narrative interviews analyzed through the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework. The findings are organized in direct alignment with the study’s objectives and NRMM analytical phases. Across all ten narratives, a patterned yet individually nuanced reconstructive trajectory emerged, demonstrating how travel functioned as a liminal and reconstructive psychosocial space. Objective 1: Examining Divorce as Narrative Rupture In alignment with the first objective, narrative analysis revealed that participants did not describe divorce merely as relational separation but as identity disintegration. The rupture phase was characterized by fragmentation of self-concept, internalized stigma, and loss of temporal continuity. Participants consistently framed marriage as a central identity anchor. Its dissolution disrupted coherence across past, present, and future self-representations. Linguistically, narratives during this phase were marked by passive constructions and metaphors of collapse. To systematically document this rupture phase, indicators were coded according to NRMM criteria, as presented below. Table 1 NRMM Phase 1: Narrative Rupture Indicators Across Cases Narrative Indicator No. of Participants (N = 10) Representative Excerpt Role identity collapse 10 “I didn’t know who I was without being someone’s wife.” Shame/internalized stigma 8 “I felt like I had failed publicly.” Passive agency language 9 “Everything happened to me.” Future disorientation 10 “I couldn’t imagine what my life would look like.” The consistency of these indicators across participants confirms that divorce functioned as a narrative rupture event within the NRMM framework. Importantly, this rupture was not solely emotional but structural—participants’ life stories lost coherence and forward orientation. Objective 2: Identifying Solo Travel as a Turning Point The second objective explored how solo travel was framed as a transformative decision. Within the NRMM structure, this corresponds to the transition from rupture to autonomy activation. The act of booking travel independently was narrated as the first reclaiming of agency. Even participants who reported fear described the decision as intentional and self-directed. Linguistic shifts from passive to active constructions began to appear at this stage. The table below summarizes agency activation markers during the decision phase. Table 2 Agency Reactivation During Decision to Travel Agency Marker No. of Participants Narrative Evidence Independent financial decision-making 10 “I paid for this trip myself.” Acting despite fear 9 “I was scared, but I still went.” Framing travel as self-care 8 “I needed to choose myself.” Desire for distance from stigma 6 “I wanted to be somewhere no one knew my story.” From a methodological standpoint, narrative interviews enabled identification of this turning point because participants described the decision chronologically, allowing analysis of temporal transition from collapse to action. NRMM coding revealed this stage as the earliest re-emergence of agency. Objective 3: Exploring Embodied Identity Reclamation During Travel The third objective examined how experiential aspects of travel contributed to identity reconstruction. NRMM Phase 3—Embodied Reclamation—was central to this process. Participants repeatedly described physical engagement—trekking, walking alone, navigating unfamiliar terrain, dining solo—as psychologically transformative. These were not described as recreational events but as corrective embodied experiences that countered prior narratives of inadequacy. Embodied mastery experiences were systematically analyzed, as summarized below. Table 3 Embodied Experiences and Psychological Reconstruction Type of Experience Reported Psychological Shift No. of Participants Trekking or climbing “I am strong” 6 Navigating unfamiliar locations “I can handle uncertainty” 8 Solo dining “I am not socially dependent” 7 Reflective solitude (nature/spiritual spaces) “I can sit with myself” 5 NRMM analysis revealed that embodied action preceded cognitive reframing. Participants first experienced competence physically before articulating new identity claims verbally. The body thus functioned as an epistemic site of reconstruction. Narratively, this phase showed increased coherence and reflective tone. Emotional regulation improved, and affect was integrated rather than fragmented. Objective 4: Examining Meaning-Making and Narrative Reframing The fourth objective investigated how participants reinterpreted divorce following travel. Within NRMM, this corresponds to Meaning-Making Reconstruction. A clear transformation emerged in how divorce was narratively positioned. Earlier accounts framed divorce as failure; post-travel narratives reframed it as survival, dignity, or necessary separation. The cognitive shift is captured analytically below. Table 4 Narrative Reframing Patterns Pre-Travel Narrative Position Post-Travel Reconstruction No. of Participants “I failed at marriage.” “I chose to protect myself.” 9 “I was abandoned.” “I walked away with strength.” 8 “I am broken.” “I am rebuilding.” 8 “Divorce defines me.” “Divorce is part of my story.” 10 NRMM coding identified movement from contamination sequences (where divorce overshadowed life narrative) to redemption sequences (where adversity catalyzed growth). This transformation was not immediate but emerged through reflective processing during and after travel. Importantly, narrative interviews allowed tracing of these shifts temporally, confirming that meaning-making followed embodied experience rather than preceding it. Objective 5: Understanding Emergent Resilience and Self-Authorship The final objective examined how resilience manifests within reconstructed narratives. In NRMM terms, this represents the consolidation phase of resilient self-authorship. Resilience was operationalized not as absence of distress but as narrative coherence, restored agency, and future orientation. Participants demonstrated increased self-trust and boundary-setting behaviors. The resilience indicators are presented below. Table 5 Resilience Outcomes Across Participants Resilience Dimension Evidence in Narrative No. of Participants Restored self-trust “I trust my decisions now.” 10 Future orientation “I am planning my next goal.” 9 Boundary-setting “I say no without guilt.” 7 Integrated life story “It shaped me, but it doesn’t define me.” 10 Linguistically, narratives shifted toward active voice and future-tense constructions. Divorce was integrated into autobiographical memory without dominating identity. Two participants demonstrated ongoing reconstruction but had moved significantly beyond rupture. Integrated NRMM Transformation Trajectory When examined holistically across all ten narratives, a coherent reconstructive trajectory emerged that closely aligned with the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework and the study’s objectives. Divorce functioned as a primary narrative rupture, characterized by identity disintegration, diminished agency, and temporal disorientation. Participants’ early accounts reflected fragmentation and contamination sequences in which marital dissolution overshadowed prior self-definitions. The decision to undertake solo travel marked the first observable shift in this trajectory, representing an activation of agency and intentional movement away from passive suffering. This decision initiated entry into a liminal space where socially imposed identities were temporarily suspended. During travel, embodied mastery experiences—such as navigating unfamiliar environments, trekking, or managing solitude—facilitated restoration of competence and internal locus of control. These experiences preceded and enabled cognitive meaning-making, wherein participants reframed divorce from a narrative of failure to one of survival, dignity, and self-preservation. As reflective processing deepened, narratives transitioned from contamination to redemption structures, integrating adversity into a broader life story. Ultimately, this progression culminated in resilient self-authorship, characterized by coherent self-definition, future orientation, boundary-setting, and restored self-trust. Rather than erasing the pain of divorce, participants incorporated it into an integrated autobiographical narrative that affirmed agency and growth. Thus, the NRMM trajectory illustrates how solo travel functioned as a reconstructive psychosocial bridge between identity rupture and resilient narrative coherence. Discussion The present study examined how divorced women reconstruct identity, process trauma, and cultivate resilience through solo travel using narrative interviews analyzed via the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework. The findings reveal that solo travel functioned not merely as leisure but as a liminal reconstructive space in which identity rupture was reorganized into coherent self-authorship. When interpreted alongside existing theoretical frameworks, these results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of post-divorce identity transformation. The first major finding—that divorce was experienced as identity disintegration—aligns closely with narrative identity theory, which posits that individuals construct meaning through evolving life stories that integrate past, present, and anticipated future (McAdams & McLean, 2013 ). Participants’ early narratives reflected fragmentation, loss of coherence, and diminished agency, supporting the conceptualization of divorce as a biographical disruption (Bury, 1982 ). The pervasive use of contamination sequences, in which previously positive life chapters became overshadowed by marital failure, mirrors findings that narrative contamination predicts psychological distress (McAdams et al., 2001 ). Thus, divorce in this study did not function solely as relational loss but as a destabilization of narrative continuity. Importantly, the decision to travel alone marked the first observable reactivation of agency. This shift resonates with self-determination theory, particularly the psychological need for autonomy (Deci & Ryan, 2000 ). Participants described booking travel and navigating independently as intentional acts of self-assertion, suggesting that autonomy restoration preceded emotional resolution. Rather than waiting for confidence to emerge, participants enacted it behaviorally. This supports research indicating that mastery-oriented action can rebuild self-efficacy even before cognitive restructuring occurs (Bandura, 1997 ). Within the NRMM framework, this stage reflects the transition from passive rupture to active reconstruction. Embodied experiences during travel played a central reconstructive role. Participants repeatedly described physical engagement—trekking, navigating unfamiliar environments, dining alone—as transformative. These findings converge with trauma-informed perspectives emphasizing the role of embodied regulation in healing (van der Kolk, 2014 ). When relational trauma or prolonged emotional stress disrupts bodily self-trust, mastery experiences can restore a sense of competence and internal control. In this study, embodied action appeared to precede cognitive reframing, suggesting that identity reconstruction was not purely narrative but also somatic. The body became evidence of capability, countering internalized narratives of inadequacy. The meaning-making processes observed in participants’ post-travel narratives further align with cognitive models of adaptation. Park’s ( 2010 ) meaning-making framework suggests that psychological recovery involves reconciling situational meaning (the divorce) with global beliefs about self-worth and agency. Participants gradually reinterpreted divorce from personal failure to self-preservation, reflecting successful integration rather than avoidance. This shift parallels post-traumatic growth theory, which conceptualizes adversity as a potential catalyst for increased personal strength and new possibilities (Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004 ). However, consistent with contemporary critiques, growth in this study did not eliminate distress; instead, it coexisted with lingering grief. The transformation was integrative rather than triumphalist. From a feminist psychological perspective, the findings are particularly significant. Women’s identities are often socially structured around relational roles, and divorce can disrupt socially sanctioned legitimacy (Gilligan, 1982 ). Participants’ narratives revealed the internalization of stigma, echoing literature on gendered moral scrutiny following marital dissolution. Solo travel, in this context, functioned as more than individual healing—it symbolized reclamation of mobility, autonomy, and public presence. By occupying spaces alone, participants subtly resisted restrictive gender norms governing female independence (Wilson & Little, 2008 ). Thus, identity reconstruction unfolded not only psychologically but socio-culturally. The emergence of resilient self-authorship across narratives reflects a dynamic conceptualization of resilience as process rather than trait. Contemporary resilience theory emphasizes adaptive reorganization following disruption (Masten, 2014 ). In this study, resilience was evident in restored narrative coherence, increased future orientation, and strengthened boundary-setting. Participants integrated divorce into their autobiographical stories without allowing it to dominate self-definition. This narrative coherence has been associated with improved psychological well-being (Adler et al., 2016 ), suggesting that resilience is, in part, a storytelling achievement. Notably, the NRMM framework proved methodologically valuable in capturing the sequential and integrative nature of this transformation. The phased analysis illuminated how rupture, agency activation, embodied mastery, and meaning-making unfolded in interrelated stages. Rather than viewing growth as spontaneous or purely cognitive, the findings suggest that identity reconstruction is scaffolded through lived experience. Solo travel provided a liminal bridge between disruption and integration, allowing participants to experiment with new self-definitions in contexts temporarily free from relational labeling. At the same time, the findings caution against romanticizing travel as universally transformative. Two participants remained in ongoing reconstruction, indicating that identity integration is gradual and nonlinear. Travel catalyzed change but did not erase structural constraints or emotional complexity. This nuance aligns with narrative research emphasizing that identity is continually revised rather than permanently resolved (McAdams, 2001 ). Overall, the study extends existing literature by positioning solo travel as a reconstructive psychosocial intervention within post-divorce adjustment. By integrating narrative identity theory, self-determination theory, embodied trauma perspectives, feminist scholarship, and resilience frameworks, the findings suggest that transformation occurs through the interplay of autonomy, embodied competence, and narrative reframing. Solo travel created a liminal environment in which divorced women could renegotiate self-concept, integrate adversity, and re-emerge as authors of their evolving life stories. Implications The findings of this study contribute theoretically to narrative identity and resilience scholarship by demonstrating that identity reconstruction after divorce is not solely a cognitive or discursive process but an embodied and experiential one. While narrative identity theory emphasizes the role of storytelling in restoring coherence (McAdams & McLean, 2013 ), the present study suggests that embodied mastery experiences—such as navigating unfamiliar environments or traveling independently—may precede and facilitate narrative re-authoring. The NRMM framework illuminated how rupture, agency activation, meaning-making, and integration unfolded sequentially yet dynamically. In doing so, the study advances a process-oriented understanding of resilience (Masten, 2014 ), positioning growth as a structured narrative reorganization rather than a static outcome. Solo travel emerged as a liminal space that enabled women to experiment with self-definitions beyond relational identities, thereby expanding theoretical perspectives on post-divorce identity transformation. Clinically, the findings underscore the value of integrating experiential autonomy into post-divorce counseling frameworks. While emotional processing and cognitive restructuring remain central to therapeutic work, this study indicates that intentional engagement in independent, mastery-oriented experiences may strengthen self-efficacy and support identity reconfiguration. The NRMM model offers a structured approach for guiding clients through rupture recognition, emotional articulation, and narrative reframing toward resilient self-authorship. Importantly, the implication is not that travel itself is prescriptive, but that opportunities for embodied agency—however contextually adapted—can meaningfully support recovery and self-trust. At a broader socio-cultural level, the study challenges deficit-based constructions of divorced women by foregrounding narratives of autonomy and reconstruction. Participants’ stories illustrate that when women occupy physical and psychological spaces independently, they renegotiate stigmatized identities and restore dignity. Recognizing such reconstructive trajectories has implications for public discourse, community support systems, and future research on gendered mobility and life transitions. By situating solo travel within a narrative reconstruction framework, this study highlights how spatial freedom and self-authorship intersect in the cultivation of resilience after marital dissolution. Certainly, Dr. Saranya. Below is a concise, cohesive three-paragraph Conclusion section that synthesizes your study without repetition and aligns with your objectives, methodology, and theoretical framing. Conclusion This study explored how divorced women reconstruct identity, process relational rupture, and cultivate resilience through solo travel, using narrative interviews analyzed within the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework. The findings demonstrate that divorce was experienced as a profound narrative disruption characterized by fragmentation, diminished agency, and stigma internalization. However, the decision to engage in solo travel marked a turning point in which agency was reactivated, embodied competence was restored, and meaning-making processes gradually transformed contamination narratives into redemptive ones. Through this structured trajectory, participants reconstructed coherent, future-oriented identities grounded in self-authorship rather than relational definition. By situating solo travel within a narrative and trauma-informed lens, the study expands understanding of post-divorce adjustment beyond symptom reduction to encompass identity reorganization. Reconstruction unfolded not solely through cognitive reframing but through embodied mastery experiences that enabled participants to encounter themselves as capable and autonomous. The NRMM approach revealed resilience as a process of narrative integration—where adversity was neither erased nor allowed to dominate, but woven into a coherent life story that affirmed agency and growth. Ultimately, the study highlights that identity reconstruction after marital dissolution is an evolving narrative achievement. Solo travel functioned as a liminal psychosocial bridge between rupture and renewal, offering women a space to renegotiate selfhood beyond socially imposed roles. In illuminating these reconstructive processes, the research underscores the transformative potential of experiential autonomy in fostering resilient self-authorship during major life transitions. Declarations Funding The author declares that no specific funding was received for this study from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. Ethical Approval This study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards for research involving human participants. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the respective organization, and all procedures adhered to established guidelines for qualitative research. Informed Consent Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Participants were informed of the purpose of the research, their right to withdraw at any time, and measures taken to ensure confidentiality and anonymity. Author Contribution Dr. Saranya T. S. conceptualized the study, conducted data collection and analysis using the NRMM framework, and wrote and revised the manuscript. The author approved the final version of the manuscript. Data Availability Due to the sensitive and personal nature of narrative interview data, transcripts are not publicly available. De-identified data may be made available by the author upon reasonable request and subject to ethical considerations. References Adler, J. M., Lodi-Smith, J., Philippe, F. L., & Houle, I. (2016). The incremental validity of narrative identity in predicting well-being: A review of the field and recommendations for the future. Personality and Social Psychology Review , 20 (2), 142–175. https://doi.org/10.1177/1088868315585068 Amato, P. R. (2010). Research on divorce: Continuing trends and new developments. Journal of Marriage and Family , 72 (3), 650–666. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1741-3737.2010.00723.x Bandura, A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control . W. H. Freeman. Bury, M. (1982). Chronic illness as biographical disruption. Sociology of Health & Illness , 4 (2), 167–182. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.ep11339939 Clandinin, D. J., & Connelly, F. M. (2000). Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research . Jossey-Bass. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The what and why of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry , 11 (4), 227–268. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15327965PLI1104_01 Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development . Harvard University Press. Janoff-Bulman, R. (1992). Shattered assumptions: Towards a new psychology of trauma . Free. Masten, A. S. (2014). Ordinary magic: Resilience in development . Guilford Press. McAdams, D. P. (2001). The psychology of life stories. Review of General Psychology , 5 (2), 100–122. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.5.2.100 McAdams, D. P., & McLean, K. C. (2013). Narrative identity. Current Directions in Psychological Science , 22 (3), 233–238. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721413475622 McAdams, D. P., Reynolds, J., Lewis, M., Patten, A. H., & Bowman, P. J. (2001). When bad things turn good and good things turn bad: Sequences of redemption and contamination in life narrative and their relation to psychosocial adaptation in midlife adults. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin , 27 (4), 474–485. https://doi.org/10.1177/0146167201274008 Neimeyer, R. A. (2006). Re-storying loss: Fostering growth in the posttraumatic narrative. In L. G. Calhoun, & R. G. Tedeschi (Eds.), Handbook of posttraumatic growth (pp. 68–80). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Park, C. L. (2010). Making sense of the meaning literature: An integrative review of meaning-making and its effects on adjustment to stressful life events. Psychological Bulletin , 136 (2), 257–301. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0018301 Pennebaker, J. W., & Chung, C. K. (2011). Expressive writing: Connections to physical and mental health. In H. S. Friedman (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of health psychology (pp. 417–437). Oxford University Press. Riessman, C. K. (2008). Narrative methods for the human sciences . Sage. Tedeschi, R. G., & Calhoun, L. G. (2004). Posttraumatic growth: Conceptual foundations and empirical evidence. Psychological Inquiry , 15 (1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327965pli1501_01 van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The body keeps the score: Brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma . Viking. Wilson, E., & Little, D. E. (2008). The solo female travel experience: Exploring the geography of women’s fear. Current Issues in Tourism , 11 (2), 167–186. Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-8872211","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":592725428,"identity":"5a7819a8-bddf-47ba-9e01-34f833edf240","order_by":0,"name":"Saranya T.S","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAABIElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYNADxgYJBgP2BiDLwIKwah4QcRCkhecASIsE0VpAihNATNxa5NvPPvxc2GbHYM/A/vDzxx0W9uaSz69u+FEgwcDf3p2ATYvBmXRj6ZltyUBbeIwlDp6RSNw5O6fsZg/QYRJnzm7AqoUhjUGat40ZpIVB4mCbRILB7Zy0GzxALQYSuVi1yPc/Y/7N21YP1MD++AdQi73BzTNpN//g0cJwI40NaMthkPfNQLYwbrjBfuw2PlsMbjxjs+Y5d5yH5zCPmcXZNonEDWdy2G7LGEjw4PKLfH8a822esmo59vb2xzcq2+rsDY4ff3bzzR8bOf72XuwOAwFGNqC7mOFcHgMwiVM5GPxB4bE/wK96FIyCUTAKRhoAAOkAXKJKlRyiAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Amity University Bengaluru","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Saranya","middleName":"","lastName":"T.S","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2026-02-13 13:09:12","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872211/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872211/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":103049480,"identity":"ee778cf6-a716-443f-83fd-9c4eacc53584","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2026-02-20 07:41:43","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1238432,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-8872211/v1/5ee70f79-deb9-4c15-97a6-e56e140015eb.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Reconstructing the Self Through Solo Travel: A Narrative Study of Divorced Women Using the NRMM Method","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eDivorce is not merely a legal dissolution of marriage; it is a profound psychosocial rupture that destabilizes identity, disrupts relational schemas, and challenges existential coherence. For women in many socio-cultural contexts\u0026mdash;particularly collectivistic and patriarchal societies\u0026mdash;marriage operates not only as a relational bond but as a primary axis of identity construction. When that bond dissolves, the consequences often extend far beyond relational loss, triggering identity fragmentation, stigma internalization, and psychological distress (Amato, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Kalmijn \u0026amp; Monden, 2006). The present study examines how solo travel functions as a reconstructive psychosocial space through which divorced women renegotiate trauma, re-author identity, and cultivate resilience, using the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method as an analytic framework.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDivorce as Identity Rupture\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIdentity is not a static entity but a dynamic narrative construction shaped through roles, relationships, and sociocultural positioning (McAdams \u0026amp; McLean, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Narrative identity theory posits that individuals develop an internalized and evolving life story that integrates past, present, and anticipated future into a coherent sense of self (McAdams, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e). Major life transitions\u0026mdash;such as divorce\u0026mdash;constitute \u0026ldquo;biographical disruptions\u0026rdquo; (Bury, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1982\u003c/span\u003e) that fracture this narrative coherence.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmpirical research consistently shows that divorce is associated with heightened risks of depression, anxiety, lowered self-esteem, and diminished life satisfaction (Sbarra et al., 2015). While both men and women experience psychological distress following marital dissolution, women often face compounded identity challenges due to socially prescribed gender roles that tie self-worth to marital stability and relational success (Chiriboga, 2017). In many contexts, the role of \u0026ldquo;wife\u0026rdquo; functions as a socially legitimized identity, and its loss may produce not only personal grief but also social marginalization.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIdentity disruption following divorce can manifest in three interrelated domains:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003col\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eRole Loss\u003c/b\u003e: The collapse of relational identities (wife, daughter-in-law, partner).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eNarrative Discontinuity\u003c/b\u003e: Difficulty integrating divorce into a coherent life story.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eStigmatized Self-Concept\u003c/b\u003e: Internalization of cultural narratives that frame divorced women as deficient or morally suspect (Tadros \u0026amp; Finney, 2018).\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom a narrative perspective, divorce represents a \u0026ldquo;contaminated turning point,\u0026rdquo; where positive past narratives become overshadowed by failure, betrayal, or rejection (McAdams et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e). The challenge, therefore, lies in transforming contamination sequences into redemption narratives\u0026mdash;stories where adversity catalyzes growth.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTrauma, Meaning-Making, and Post-Divorce Adjustment\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhile not all divorces constitute trauma in a clinical sense, many involve chronic stress, emotional abuse, betrayal, or prolonged relational conflict. Even amicable separations can evoke profound grief and identity disorientation. Trauma theory emphasizes that psychologically overwhelming experiences disrupt assumptive worlds\u0026mdash;the fundamental beliefs about safety, trust, and self-worth (Janoff-Bulman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1992\u003c/span\u003e). Divorce, especially when unexpected or stigmatized, can destabilize these assumptions.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeaning-making processes are central to recovery from such disruptions. Park (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) conceptualizes meaning-making as the attempt to reconcile situational meaning (the divorce event) with global meaning (core beliefs and identity). When incongruence persists, distress intensifies; when integration occurs, psychological adaptation improves.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePost-traumatic growth (PTG) research further suggests that adversity can catalyze positive transformation in domains such as personal strength, new possibilities, improved relationships, and spiritual development (Tedeschi \u0026amp; Calhoun, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). Importantly, PTG does not negate distress but emerges through cognitive and narrative processing of traumatic experiences.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative processing allows individuals to reorganize fragmented experiences into coherent self-stories. Through storytelling, individuals attribute causality, responsibility, and meaning to events, thereby reconstructing identity continuity (Neimeyer, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). However, structured opportunities for narrative reconstruction are often absent in everyday contexts, particularly where divorce is socially silenced or stigmatized.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eGender, Mobility, and Social Stigma\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWomen\u0026rsquo;s post-divorce experiences are shaped not only by personal loss but by cultural narratives regulating female mobility, autonomy, and sexuality. Feminist scholarship has long argued that women\u0026rsquo;s identities are socially constructed within relational and domestic frameworks (Gilligan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1982\u003c/span\u003e; Butler, 1990). Divorce destabilizes these frameworks, exposing women to surveillance, moral judgment, and restricted autonomy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn many societies, a divorced woman\u0026rsquo;s public presence is scrutinized. Solo mobility\u0026mdash;traveling alone\u0026mdash;may challenge deeply embedded gender norms that equate women\u0026rsquo;s safety and legitimacy with male accompaniment. Thus, when divorced women choose solo travel, they enact not merely recreational behavior but a symbolic claim to autonomy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch on gendered mobility suggests that travel can function as a space of resistance and self-definition (Wilson \u0026amp; Little, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Women who travel alone often report experiences of empowerment, boundary-setting, and identity exploration. However, these findings are under-theorized within trauma and post-divorce frameworks.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe intersection of divorce and solo travel is therefore psychologically significant: divorce disrupts identity; solo travel may provide a liminal arena for reconstructing it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSolo Travel as Liminal Space\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAnthropological theories of liminality provide a useful conceptual lens. Turner (1969) described liminality as an in-between phase during rites of passage, where individuals are temporarily separated from established social roles and hierarchies. In liminal spaces, identities become fluid, and transformation becomes possible.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSolo travel can function as a self-initiated liminal experience. It involves physical separation from familiar environments, suspension of routine roles, and exposure to novel contexts. For divorced women, travel may temporarily dissolve stigmatized identities and enable experimentation with alternative self-concepts.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePsychological research on experiential learning and mastery experiences further supports this view. Bandura\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e) theory of self-efficacy emphasizes that mastery experiences\u0026mdash;successfully navigating challenges\u0026mdash;enhance perceived competence. Planning itineraries, managing logistics, and navigating unfamiliar terrain may strengthen self-efficacy that was previously undermined by marital conflict or relational dependency.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAdditionally, embodied experiences during travel\u0026mdash;walking, trekking, swimming, or practicing yoga\u0026mdash;facilitate reconnection with bodily agency. Trauma research underscores the importance of embodied regulation in healing (van der Kolk, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Reclaiming the body as strong and capable counters narratives of rejection, inadequacy, or victimhood.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIdentity Reconstruction Through Narrative\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNarrative identity theory posits that individuals construct their sense of self through internalized life stories characterized by themes of agency and communion (McAdams \u0026amp; McLean, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Agency reflects autonomy and control; communion reflects relational connection. Divorce often destabilizes communion narratives while simultaneously challenging agency.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReconstruction requires re-authoring the self-story to integrate adversity without defining the self exclusively through it. Redemption sequences\u0026mdash;where suffering leads to growth\u0026mdash;are associated with psychological well-being (McAdams et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e). In contrast, contamination sequences\u0026mdash;where positive experiences become tainted\u0026mdash;predict distress.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method builds upon these foundations by systematically examining:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003col\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative rupture\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional articulation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eMeaning attribution\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eIdentity reconfiguration\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmergent resilience themes\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNRMM is particularly suited to contexts where identity disruption necessitates structured re-authoring. Rather than focusing solely on symptom reduction, NRMM foregrounds narrative coherence and self-authorship.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eResilience as Dynamic Reconstruction\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eResilience is increasingly conceptualized not as a fixed trait but as a dynamic process of adaptation and reorganization following adversity (Masten, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). In the context of divorce, resilience may involve redefining life goals, renegotiating social identities, and cultivating new competencies.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eImportantly, resilience is relational and contextual. Access to supportive communities, safe environments, and opportunities for mastery shape adaptive outcomes. Solo travel may provide micro-contexts of resilience-building by fostering autonomy, social experimentation, and embodied competence.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eMoreover, narrative coherence itself predicts resilience. Individuals who construct coherent, emotionally integrated stories of adversity demonstrate greater psychological adjustment (Adler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, narrative reconstruction is not merely reflective but constitutive of resilience.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec8\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe Research Gap\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eDespite extensive research on divorce adjustment, trauma recovery, and narrative identity, limited scholarship has examined how self-initiated experiential transitions\u0026mdash;such as solo travel\u0026mdash;facilitate identity reconstruction among divorced women. Existing studies on women\u0026rsquo;s travel emphasize empowerment but rarely integrate trauma-informed or narrative frameworks. Similarly, post-divorce research focuses predominantly on distress, co-parenting, or economic outcomes, neglecting experiential pathways of growth.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFurthermore, few studies employ structured narrative methodologies such as NRMM to analyze identity transformation processes. There remains a need for in-depth qualitative exploration that captures the lived experiences, turning points, and meaning-making processes through which divorced women reconstruct coherent, agentic selves.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eThe Present Study\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe present study addresses this gap by examining how ten divorced women who engaged in solo travel narratively reconstruct their identities, process trauma, and cultivate resilience. Using the NRMM method, the study explores:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003col\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow divorce is narrated as identity rupture.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow solo travel is framed as a turning point.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow meaning-making processes shift self-concept.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow resilience emerges through narrative coherence.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy foregrounding women\u0026rsquo;s own narratives, this study positions solo travel not merely as leisure but as a psychosocial intervention\u0026mdash;a liminal practice of self-reclamation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThrough NRMM analysis, the study conceptualizes solo travel as a reconstructive bridge between rupture and resilience. Divorce destabilizes identity, disrupts narrative coherence, and often engenders stigma. Yet within rupture lies the possibility of reconstruction. Solo travel, as a self-directed liminal experience, may create the psychological conditions necessary for narrative re-authoring, embodied reclamation, and resilience building. Through the NRMM method, this study seeks to illuminate how divorced women transform stories of loss into narratives of self-authorship.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Methodology","content":"\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eResearch Design\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis study employed a qualitative narrative research design to explore how divorced women reconstruct identity, process trauma, and cultivate resilience through solo travel experiences. Narrative methodology was selected because identity reconstruction is fundamentally a storied process. Divorce represents not merely an event but a disruption in the continuity of self-narrative; therefore, a methodology capable of capturing lived experience as a story was essential.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eQualitative narrative inquiry allows researchers to examine how individuals organize experience temporally, attribute meaning to rupture, and reconstruct coherence following adversity (Clandinin \u0026amp; Connelly, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e; Riessman, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Rather than fragmenting data into decontextualized themes alone, narrative approaches preserve sequence, voice, turning points, and transformation arcs. Given that this study investigates identity reconstruction\u0026mdash;a process inherently embedded in storytelling\u0026mdash;narrative inquiry provides epistemological alignment between research question and method.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study was guided by a constructivist-interpretivist paradigm, which assumes that reality is socially constructed and that identity emerges through interaction, discourse, and meaning-making processes. Divorce and solo travel were therefore examined not as objective phenomena but as subjectively interpreted experiences embedded within sociocultural contexts.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec12\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eRationale for Narrative Interviews\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eIdentity as Narrative Construction\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative identity theory posits that individuals internalize and construct evolving life stories that integrate reconstructed pasts and imagined futures (McAdams \u0026amp; McLean, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). When identity is disrupted by major life events\u0026mdash;such as divorce\u0026mdash;individuals must reorganize their autobiographical narratives to restore coherence. Narrative interviews provide access to this reorganization process.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Unlike structured interviews that elicit discrete responses, narrative interviews invite participants to tell extended, temporally ordered stories. This format allows examination of:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative rupture\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmotional articulation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eCausal attributions\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eRedemption or contamination sequences\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmergent identity claims\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSince the present study examines how women narratively reconstruct selfhood after marital dissolution, eliciting uninterrupted life stories was methodologically necessary.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec14\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTrauma Processing Through Storytelling\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTraumatic and highly stressful experiences are often encoded as fragmented memories lacking coherent integration (van der Kolk, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). Narrative articulation serves a regulatory function, enabling cognitive processing and emotional integration (Pennebaker \u0026amp; Chung, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2011\u003c/span\u003e). Storytelling thus becomes both data and process\u0026mdash;revealing how participants are actively reorganizing meaning.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eDivorce, especially when embedded in emotional abuse, betrayal, or chronic relational conflict, may carry traumatic features. Narrative interviews create space for participants to contextualize suffering within broader life trajectories rather than being reduced to symptom checklists.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec15\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCapturing Turning Points and Liminal Experiences\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eSolo travel, conceptualized in this study as a liminal transition, represents a potential turning point in participants\u0026rsquo; life stories. Narrative interviews are uniquely suited to identifying turning point markers\u0026mdash;moments participants frame as transformative.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipants were encouraged to describe:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eWho they were before divorce\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow divorce altered their self-perception\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eWhat motivated the decision to travel\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow they experienced the journey\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eHow they define themselves now\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis temporal structure allowed examination of identity continuity and discontinuity across phases.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eThe Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) Method\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTheoretical Foundations of NRMM\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method is grounded in narrative identity theory, constructivist trauma theory, and meaning-making frameworks (Park, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e; Neimeyer, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2006\u003c/span\u003e). NRMM conceptualizes identity disruption as a narrative rupture requiring reconstruction through meaning attribution, emotional processing, and self-redefinition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNRMM was chosen because it:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003col\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eExplicitly focuses on identity reconstruction following rupture.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntegrates emotional and cognitive meaning-making processes.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eAllows examination of resilience as emergent narrative coherence.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003cspan\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003ePreserves temporal sequencing of lived experience.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/span\u003e \u003c/ol\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eGiven the study\u0026rsquo;s aim\u0026mdash;to explore how solo travel facilitates reconstruction after divorce\u0026mdash;NRMM provided both analytic rigor and conceptual alignment.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eCore Phases of NRMM Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNRMM analysis proceeded through five structured stages:\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec19\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003ePhase 1: Narrative Rupture Identification\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eStories were examined for expressions of identity collapse, fragmentation, or discontinuity. Indicators included metaphors of loss, confusion, shame, and role disintegration.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec20\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003ePhase 2: Emotional Processing Markers\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarratives were analyzed for affective language, shifts in tone, and emotional integration versus avoidance. Particular attention was given to movement from dysregulation to reflective articulation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec21\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003ePhase 3: Meaning-Making Reconstruction\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis phase examined how participants interpreted divorce and travel experiences. We coded for causal explanations, moral positioning, and reframing from failure to survival or growth.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec22\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003ePhase 4: Identity Reconfiguration\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eStatements reflecting new self-definitions (e.g., \u0026ldquo;independent,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;strong,\u0026rdquo; \u0026ldquo;self-aware\u0026rdquo;) were identified. Changes in agency language (from passive to active voice) were analyzed.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec23\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003ePhase 5: Emergent Resilience Themes\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eResilience was operationalized as narrative coherence, future orientation, boundary-setting, and perceived self-efficacy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThis staged approach ensured analytic depth while maintaining methodological transparency.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec24\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eParticipants\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec25\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSampling Strategy\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eA purposive sampling strategy was employed to recruit participants who met the following criteria:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eWomen aged 30\u0026ndash;45 years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eLegally divorced within the past three years\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eUndertook at least one solo travel experience post-divorce\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eSelf-reported engaging in travel for healing, reflection, or personal growth\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003ePurposive sampling was appropriate because the study required participants with specific experiential knowledge relevant to identity reconstruction through travel.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec26\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eSample Characteristics\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eTen women participated in the study (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10). All participants were urban, educated, and employed in professional sectors. Duration since divorce ranged from 8 months to 3 years. Solo travel experiences ranged from 4-day retreats to 3-week journeys.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe sample size aligns with qualitative narrative research standards emphasizing depth over breadth. Narrative analysis prioritizes richness of data, temporal coherence, and interpretive complexity rather than statistical generalization.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec27\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eData Collection Procedures\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec28\" class=\"Section4\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eInterview Structure\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eInterviews were semi-structured but narrative-led, lasting 90\u0026ndash;120 minutes. Participants were first invited to narrate their divorce story with minimal interruption. Follow-up prompts facilitated elaboration without imposing interpretive frames.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eSample prompts included:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Tell me the story of your marriage and divorce.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;What was happening internally when you decided to travel alone?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Describe a moment during the trip that felt transformative.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;How do you define yourself today?\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e Participants were encouraged to speak chronologically to capture narrative flow.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec29\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eEthical Considerations\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eResearch examining poverty and adolescent neurodevelopment carries significant ethical responsibility because interpretations of neural differences can shape public discourse, policy decisions, and societal attitudes toward marginalized communities. Neuroscientific findings, particularly those linking socioeconomic disadvantage to brain structure or function, risk being misinterpreted as evidence of intrinsic deficiency or biological determinism. Such interpretations can inadvertently reinforce stigma, justify inequitable systems, or shift responsibility from structural conditions to individuals (Noble \u0026amp; Farah, 2013; Farah, 2017). Accordingly, this review adopts a reflexive and context-sensitive stance, emphasizing that observed neural variations reflect experience-dependent plasticity within socially patterned environments rather than fixed or essentialized traits.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAn additional ethical concern involves the individualization of structurally produced inequality. Poverty is embedded within systems of racism, caste stratification, gendered exclusion, and policy-level disparities that shape exposure to stress and opportunity. Interpreting neural findings without acknowledging these macro-level determinants risks obscuring the sociopolitical origins of adversity and framing inequality as biologically located within disadvantaged youth. This review therefore situates neurodevelopment within structural contexts, aligning neuroscientific interpretation with social epidemiology and public health perspectives that foreground systemic accountability (Duncan et al., 2017; McLaughlin et al., 2019).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThere are also ethical implications related to translation and intervention. While identifying neural correlates of adversity may inform prevention strategies, interventions should prioritize environmental and structural improvements\u0026mdash;such as enhancing educational quality, economic security, and relational stability\u0026mdash;rather than focusing narrowly on remediating individual-level \u0026ldquo;deficits.\u0026rdquo; Given evidence of continued neuroplasticity during adolescence (Fuhrmann et al., 2015), policy and community-level interventions may have meaningful developmental impact. Ethical communication of research findings should therefore emphasize heterogeneity, probabilistic risk, and developmental potential rather than inevitability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFinally, as this article synthesizes previously published research and does not involve primary data collection, formal institutional ethical approval was not required. Nevertheless, interpretive responsibility remains central. Care has been taken to avoid pathologizing language, to highlight variability and protective factors, and to frame poverty-related neural differences within broader contexts of structural inequality and developmental plasticity. Such an approach supports scientifically rigorous and socially responsible engagement with neuroscience research on socioeconomic disadvantage.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eData Analysis Strategy\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec31\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eTranscription and Immersion\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAll interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The researcher engaged in repeated reading to ensure immersion and familiarity with narrative structure, tone, and emotional shifts.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec32\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNarrative Structuring\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eEach participant\u0026rsquo;s story was first reconstructed as a cohesive narrative summary before cross-case analysis. This step preserved within-case coherence prior to identifying shared patterns.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec33\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eNRMM Coding Procedure\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eCoding proceeded inductively and deductively:\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cul\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eDeductive coding aligned with NRMM phases.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003cli\u003e \u003cp\u003eInductive coding captured emergent metaphors, symbols, and turning points.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/li\u003e \u003c/ul\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAnalytic memos documented reflexive insights, interpretive decisions, and emerging theoretical connections.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec34\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eResearcher Positionality and Reflexivity\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eAs narrative research acknowledges co-construction of meaning, researcher reflexivity was integral. The researcher maintained a reflexive journal documenting assumptions about divorce, gender norms, and autonomy. This minimized interpretive imposition and preserved participant voice.The researcher acknowledged that personal beliefs about agency, empowerment, and post-divorce growth could subtly influence probing questions, interpretation of turning points, or privileging redemption narratives over contamination sequences. To mitigate interpretive bias, the researcher consciously adopted a stance of epistemic humility\u0026mdash;prioritizing participants\u0026rsquo; language, metaphors, and self-definitions rather than imposing pre-structured empowerment frameworks. Attention was paid to preserving ambiguity and contradiction within narratives, particularly in cases where growth coexisted with lingering grief or vulnerability.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eReflexivity was operationalized as an ongoing methodological practice rather than a retrospective acknowledgment. A reflexive journal was maintained throughout data collection and analysis to document emotional responses, emerging assumptions, and analytic inclinations. For example, instances where participants described fear or ambivalence toward travel were carefully examined to ensure they were not prematurely coded as empowerment markers. Reflexive memoing also captured how the researcher\u0026rsquo;s socio-cultural location\u0026mdash;including educational privilege, professional identity, and familiarity with urban mobility\u0026mdash;might differ from participants\u0026rsquo; lived constraints, thereby shaping interpretive lenses. During cross-case analysis, peer debriefing sessions with qualitative scholars were conducted to interrogate thematic coherence and prevent overgeneralization. By embedding reflexivity within each stage of NRMM analysis, the study sought to enhance credibility, transparency, and ethical responsibility in representing participants\u0026rsquo; reconstructed identities.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eMethodological Justification\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe integration of narrative interviews with the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) method was methodologically justified by the ontological and epistemological nature of the research problem\u0026mdash;identity reconstruction following divorce. Divorce represents a biographical rupture that destabilizes narrative coherence; therefore, a methodology capable of capturing temporality, turning points, emotional processing, and emergent self-definitions was essential. Narrative interviews allowed participants to articulate lived experience in storied form, preserving sequence, voice, metaphor, and meaning-making processes that structured instruments or purely thematic analyses might fragment. The NRMM framework further provided analytic rigor by systematically tracing the progression from rupture to re-authoring, thereby linking experiential accounts of solo travel to shifts in identity and resilience. This alignment between research question (how identity is reconstructed), theoretical framework (narrative identity and meaning-making), and analytic strategy (NRMM phases) ensured methodological coherence, depth, and conceptual validity, making the chosen design particularly suited to examining transformative psychosocial processes in post-divorce contexts.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Results","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present study sought to examine how divorced women reconstruct identity, process trauma, and cultivate resilience through solo travel, using narrative interviews analyzed through the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework. The findings are organized in direct alignment with the study\u0026rsquo;s objectives and NRMM analytical phases. Across all ten narratives, a patterned yet individually nuanced reconstructive trajectory emerged, demonstrating how travel functioned as a liminal and reconstructive psychosocial space.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec37\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eObjective 1: Examining Divorce as Narrative Rupture\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eIn alignment with the first objective, narrative analysis revealed that participants did not describe divorce merely as relational separation but as identity disintegration. The rupture phase was characterized by fragmentation of self-concept, internalized stigma, and loss of temporal continuity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipants consistently framed marriage as a central identity anchor. Its dissolution disrupted coherence across past, present, and future self-representations. Linguistically, narratives during this phase were marked by passive constructions and metaphors of collapse.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTo systematically document this rupture phase, indicators were coded according to NRMM criteria, as presented below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNRMM Phase 1: Narrative Rupture Indicators Across Cases\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative Indicator\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of Participants (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRepresentative Excerpt\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRole identity collapse\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I didn\u0026rsquo;t know who I was without being someone\u0026rsquo;s wife.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eShame/internalized stigma\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I felt like I had failed publicly.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePassive agency language\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Everything happened to me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFuture disorientation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I couldn\u0026rsquo;t imagine what my life would look like.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe consistency of these indicators across participants confirms that divorce functioned as a narrative rupture event within the NRMM framework. Importantly, this rupture was not solely emotional but structural\u0026mdash;participants\u0026rsquo; life stories lost coherence and forward orientation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv id=\"Sec38\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e \u003ch2\u003eObjective 2: Identifying Solo Travel as a Turning Point\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe second objective explored how solo travel was framed as a transformative decision. Within the NRMM structure, this corresponds to the transition from rupture to autonomy activation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe act of booking travel independently was narrated as the first reclaiming of agency. Even participants who reported fear described the decision as intentional and self-directed. Linguistic shifts from passive to active constructions began to appear at this stage.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe table below summarizes agency activation markers during the decision phase.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAgency Reactivation During Decision to Travel\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eAgency Marker\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of Participants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative Evidence\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIndependent financial decision-making\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I paid for this trip myself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eActing despite fear\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was scared, but I still went.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFraming travel as self-care\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I needed to choose myself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eDesire for distance from stigma\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I wanted to be somewhere no one knew my story.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom a methodological standpoint, narrative interviews enabled identification of this turning point because participants described the decision chronologically, allowing analysis of temporal transition from collapse to action. NRMM coding revealed this stage as the earliest re-emergence of agency.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eObjective 3: Exploring Embodied Identity Reclamation During Travel\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe third objective examined how experiential aspects of travel contributed to identity reconstruction. NRMM Phase 3\u0026mdash;Embodied Reclamation\u0026mdash;was central to this process.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eParticipants repeatedly described physical engagement\u0026mdash;trekking, walking alone, navigating unfamiliar terrain, dining solo\u0026mdash;as psychologically transformative. These were not described as recreational events but as corrective embodied experiences that countered prior narratives of inadequacy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmbodied mastery experiences were systematically analyzed, as summarized below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmbodied Experiences and Psychological Reconstruction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eType of Experience\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReported Psychological Shift\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of Participants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eTrekking or climbing\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am strong\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e6\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNavigating unfamiliar locations\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I can handle uncertainty\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eSolo dining\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am not socially dependent\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eReflective solitude (nature/spiritual spaces)\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I can sit with myself\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e5\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNRMM analysis revealed that embodied action preceded cognitive reframing. Participants first experienced competence physically before articulating new identity claims verbally. The body thus functioned as an epistemic site of reconstruction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarratively, this phase showed increased coherence and reflective tone. Emotional regulation improved, and affect was integrated rather than fragmented.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eObjective 4: Examining Meaning-Making and Narrative Reframing\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe fourth objective investigated how participants reinterpreted divorce following travel. Within NRMM, this corresponds to Meaning-Making Reconstruction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eA clear transformation emerged in how divorce was narratively positioned. Earlier accounts framed divorce as failure; post-travel narratives reframed it as survival, dignity, or necessary separation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe cognitive shift is captured analytically below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNarrative Reframing Patterns\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePre-Travel Narrative Position\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003ePost-Travel Reconstruction\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of Participants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I failed at marriage.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I chose to protect myself.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I was abandoned.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I walked away with strength.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am broken.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am rebuilding.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e8\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Divorce defines me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;Divorce is part of my story.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNRMM coding identified movement from contamination sequences (where divorce overshadowed life narrative) to redemption sequences (where adversity catalyzed growth). This transformation was not immediate but emerged through reflective processing during and after travel.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eImportantly, narrative interviews allowed tracing of these shifts temporally, confirming that meaning-making followed embodied experience rather than preceding it.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eObjective 5: Understanding Emergent Resilience and Self-Authorship\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe final objective examined how resilience manifests within reconstructed narratives. In NRMM terms, this represents the consolidation phase of resilient self-authorship.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eResilience was operationalized not as absence of distress but as narrative coherence, restored agency, and future orientation. Participants demonstrated increased self-trust and boundary-setting behaviors.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe resilience indicators are presented below.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResilience Outcomes Across Participants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/div\u003e \u003c/caption\u003e \u003ccolgroup cols=\"3\"\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003cthead\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eResilience Dimension\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eEvidence in Narrative\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eNo. of Participants\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/th\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/thead\u003e \u003ctbody\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eRestored self-trust\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I trust my decisions now.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eFuture orientation\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I am planning my next goal.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eBoundary-setting\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;I say no without guilt.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003ctr\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e \u003cp\u003eIntegrated life story\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u0026ldquo;It shaped me, but it doesn\u0026rsquo;t define me.\u0026rdquo;\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e \u003cp\u003e10\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/td\u003e \u003c/tr\u003e \u003c/tbody\u003e \u003c/colgroup\u003e \u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eLinguistically, narratives shifted toward active voice and future-tense constructions. Divorce was integrated into autobiographical memory without dominating identity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eTwo participants demonstrated ongoing reconstruction but had moved significantly beyond rupture.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIntegrated NRMM Transformation Trajectory\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen examined holistically across all ten narratives, a coherent reconstructive trajectory emerged that closely aligned with the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework and the study\u0026rsquo;s objectives. Divorce functioned as a primary narrative rupture, characterized by identity disintegration, diminished agency, and temporal disorientation. Participants\u0026rsquo; early accounts reflected fragmentation and contamination sequences in which marital dissolution overshadowed prior self-definitions. The decision to undertake solo travel marked the first observable shift in this trajectory, representing an activation of agency and intentional movement away from passive suffering. This decision initiated entry into a liminal space where socially imposed identities were temporarily suspended. During travel, embodied mastery experiences\u0026mdash;such as navigating unfamiliar environments, trekking, or managing solitude\u0026mdash;facilitated restoration of competence and internal locus of control. These experiences preceded and enabled cognitive meaning-making, wherein participants reframed divorce from a narrative of failure to one of survival, dignity, and self-preservation. As reflective processing deepened, narratives transitioned from contamination to redemption structures, integrating adversity into a broader life story. Ultimately, this progression culminated in resilient self-authorship, characterized by coherent self-definition, future orientation, boundary-setting, and restored self-trust. Rather than erasing the pain of divorce, participants incorporated it into an integrated autobiographical narrative that affirmed agency and growth. Thus, the NRMM trajectory illustrates how solo travel functioned as a reconstructive psychosocial bridge between identity rupture and resilient narrative coherence.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present study examined how divorced women reconstruct identity, process trauma, and cultivate resilience through solo travel using narrative interviews analyzed via the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework. The findings reveal that solo travel functioned not merely as leisure but as a liminal reconstructive space in which identity rupture was reorganized into coherent self-authorship. When interpreted alongside existing theoretical frameworks, these results contribute to a more nuanced understanding of post-divorce identity transformation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe first major finding\u0026mdash;that divorce was experienced as identity disintegration\u0026mdash;aligns closely with narrative identity theory, which posits that individuals construct meaning through evolving life stories that integrate past, present, and anticipated future (McAdams \u0026amp; McLean, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e). Participants\u0026rsquo; early narratives reflected fragmentation, loss of coherence, and diminished agency, supporting the conceptualization of divorce as a biographical disruption (Bury, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1982\u003c/span\u003e). The pervasive use of contamination sequences, in which previously positive life chapters became overshadowed by marital failure, mirrors findings that narrative contamination predicts psychological distress (McAdams et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, divorce in this study did not function solely as relational loss but as a destabilization of narrative continuity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eImportantly, the decision to travel alone marked the first observable reactivation of agency. This shift resonates with self-determination theory, particularly the psychological need for autonomy (Deci \u0026amp; Ryan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2000\u003c/span\u003e). Participants described booking travel and navigating independently as intentional acts of self-assertion, suggesting that autonomy restoration preceded emotional resolution. Rather than waiting for confidence to emerge, participants enacted it behaviorally. This supports research indicating that mastery-oriented action can rebuild self-efficacy even before cognitive restructuring occurs (Bandura, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1997\u003c/span\u003e). Within the NRMM framework, this stage reflects the transition from passive rupture to active reconstruction.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eEmbodied experiences during travel played a central reconstructive role. Participants repeatedly described physical engagement\u0026mdash;trekking, navigating unfamiliar environments, dining alone\u0026mdash;as transformative. These findings converge with trauma-informed perspectives emphasizing the role of embodied regulation in healing (van der Kolk, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). When relational trauma or prolonged emotional stress disrupts bodily self-trust, mastery experiences can restore a sense of competence and internal control. In this study, embodied action appeared to precede cognitive reframing, suggesting that identity reconstruction was not purely narrative but also somatic. The body became evidence of capability, countering internalized narratives of inadequacy.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe meaning-making processes observed in participants\u0026rsquo; post-travel narratives further align with cognitive models of adaptation. Park\u0026rsquo;s (\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2010\u003c/span\u003e) meaning-making framework suggests that psychological recovery involves reconciling situational meaning (the divorce) with global beliefs about self-worth and agency. Participants gradually reinterpreted divorce from personal failure to self-preservation, reflecting successful integration rather than avoidance. This shift parallels post-traumatic growth theory, which conceptualizes adversity as a potential catalyst for increased personal strength and new possibilities (Tedeschi \u0026amp; Calhoun, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2004\u003c/span\u003e). However, consistent with contemporary critiques, growth in this study did not eliminate distress; instead, it coexisted with lingering grief. The transformation was integrative rather than triumphalist.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFrom a feminist psychological perspective, the findings are particularly significant. Women\u0026rsquo;s identities are often socially structured around relational roles, and divorce can disrupt socially sanctioned legitimacy (Gilligan, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1982\u003c/span\u003e). Participants\u0026rsquo; narratives revealed the internalization of stigma, echoing literature on gendered moral scrutiny following marital dissolution. Solo travel, in this context, functioned as more than individual healing\u0026mdash;it symbolized reclamation of mobility, autonomy, and public presence. By occupying spaces alone, participants subtly resisted restrictive gender norms governing female independence (Wilson \u0026amp; Little, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2008\u003c/span\u003e). Thus, identity reconstruction unfolded not only psychologically but socio-culturally.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe emergence of resilient self-authorship across narratives reflects a dynamic conceptualization of resilience as process rather than trait. Contemporary resilience theory emphasizes adaptive reorganization following disruption (Masten, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e). In this study, resilience was evident in restored narrative coherence, increased future orientation, and strengthened boundary-setting. Participants integrated divorce into their autobiographical stories without allowing it to dominate self-definition. This narrative coherence has been associated with improved psychological well-being (Adler et al., \u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2016\u003c/span\u003e), suggesting that resilience is, in part, a storytelling achievement.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eNotably, the NRMM framework proved methodologically valuable in capturing the sequential and integrative nature of this transformation. The phased analysis illuminated how rupture, agency activation, embodied mastery, and meaning-making unfolded in interrelated stages. Rather than viewing growth as spontaneous or purely cognitive, the findings suggest that identity reconstruction is scaffolded through lived experience. Solo travel provided a liminal bridge between disruption and integration, allowing participants to experiment with new self-definitions in contexts temporarily free from relational labeling.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt the same time, the findings caution against romanticizing travel as universally transformative. Two participants remained in ongoing reconstruction, indicating that identity integration is gradual and nonlinear. Travel catalyzed change but did not erase structural constraints or emotional complexity. This nuance aligns with narrative research emphasizing that identity is continually revised rather than permanently resolved (McAdams, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2001\u003c/span\u003e).\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eOverall, the study extends existing literature by positioning solo travel as a reconstructive psychosocial intervention within post-divorce adjustment. By integrating narrative identity theory, self-determination theory, embodied trauma perspectives, feminist scholarship, and resilience frameworks, the findings suggest that transformation occurs through the interplay of autonomy, embodied competence, and narrative reframing. Solo travel created a liminal environment in which divorced women could renegotiate self-concept, integrate adversity, and re-emerge as authors of their evolving life stories.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eImplications\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe findings of this study contribute theoretically to narrative identity and resilience scholarship by demonstrating that identity reconstruction after divorce is not solely a cognitive or discursive process but an embodied and experiential one. While narrative identity theory emphasizes the role of storytelling in restoring coherence (McAdams \u0026amp; McLean, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2013\u003c/span\u003e), the present study suggests that embodied mastery experiences\u0026mdash;such as navigating unfamiliar environments or traveling independently\u0026mdash;may precede and facilitate narrative re-authoring. The NRMM framework illuminated how rupture, agency activation, meaning-making, and integration unfolded sequentially yet dynamically. In doing so, the study advances a process-oriented understanding of resilience (Masten, \u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2014\u003c/span\u003e), positioning growth as a structured narrative reorganization rather than a static outcome. Solo travel emerged as a liminal space that enabled women to experiment with self-definitions beyond relational identities, thereby expanding theoretical perspectives on post-divorce identity transformation.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eClinically, the findings underscore the value of integrating experiential autonomy into post-divorce counseling frameworks. While emotional processing and cognitive restructuring remain central to therapeutic work, this study indicates that intentional engagement in independent, mastery-oriented experiences may strengthen self-efficacy and support identity reconfiguration. The NRMM model offers a structured approach for guiding clients through rupture recognition, emotional articulation, and narrative reframing toward resilient self-authorship. Importantly, the implication is not that travel itself is prescriptive, but that opportunities for embodied agency\u0026mdash;however contextually adapted\u0026mdash;can meaningfully support recovery and self-trust.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eAt a broader socio-cultural level, the study challenges deficit-based constructions of divorced women by foregrounding narratives of autonomy and reconstruction. Participants\u0026rsquo; stories illustrate that when women occupy physical and psychological spaces independently, they renegotiate stigmatized identities and restore dignity. Recognizing such reconstructive trajectories has implications for public discourse, community support systems, and future research on gendered mobility and life transitions. By situating solo travel within a narrative reconstruction framework, this study highlights how spatial freedom and self-authorship intersect in the cultivation of resilience after marital dissolution.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eCertainly, Dr. Saranya. Below is a concise, cohesive three-paragraph Conclusion section that synthesizes your study without repetition and aligns with your objectives, methodology, and theoretical framing.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThis study explored how divorced women reconstruct identity, process relational rupture, and cultivate resilience through solo travel, using narrative interviews analyzed within the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework. The findings demonstrate that divorce was experienced as a profound narrative disruption characterized by fragmentation, diminished agency, and stigma internalization. However, the decision to engage in solo travel marked a turning point in which agency was reactivated, embodied competence was restored, and meaning-making processes gradually transformed contamination narratives into redemptive ones. Through this structured trajectory, participants reconstructed coherent, future-oriented identities grounded in self-authorship rather than relational definition.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eBy situating solo travel within a narrative and trauma-informed lens, the study expands understanding of post-divorce adjustment beyond symptom reduction to encompass identity reorganization. Reconstruction unfolded not solely through cognitive reframing but through embodied mastery experiences that enabled participants to encounter themselves as capable and autonomous. The NRMM approach revealed resilience as a process of narrative integration\u0026mdash;where adversity was neither erased nor allowed to dominate, but woven into a coherent life story that affirmed agency and growth.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eUltimately, the study highlights that identity reconstruction after marital dissolution is an evolving narrative achievement. Solo travel functioned as a liminal psychosocial bridge between rupture and renewal, offering women a space to renegotiate selfhood beyond socially imposed roles. In illuminating these reconstructive processes, the research underscores the transformative potential of experiential autonomy in fostering resilient self-authorship during major life transitions.\u003c/p\u003e "},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003e \u003cb\u003eFunding\u003c/b\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe author declares that no specific funding was received for this study from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e \u003ch2\u003eEthical Approval\u003c/h2\u003e \u003cp\u003e This study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards for research involving human participants. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Ethics Committee of the respective organization, and all procedures adhered to established guidelines for qualitative research.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eInformed Consent\u003c/strong\u003e \u003cp\u003e Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study. Participants were informed of the purpose of the research, their right to withdraw at any time, and measures taken to ensure confidentiality and anonymity.\u003c/p\u003e \u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAuthor Contribution\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDr. Saranya T. S. conceptualized the study, conducted data collection and analysis using the NRMM framework, and wrote and revised the manuscript. The author approved the final version of the manuscript.\u003c/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eData Availability\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDue to the sensitive and personal nature of narrative interview data, transcripts are not publicly available. De-identified data may be made available by the author upon reasonable request and subject to ethical considerations.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAdler, J. M., Lodi-Smith, J., Philippe, F. L., \u0026amp; Houle, I. (2016). 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The solo female travel experience: Exploring the geography of women\u0026rsquo;s fear. \u003cem\u003eCurrent Issues in Tourism\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e11\u003c/em\u003e(2), 167\u0026ndash;186.\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/li\u003e\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Divorce, Narrative Identity, Solo Travel, NRMM, Resilience, Post-Traumatic Growth","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872211/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872211/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eDivorce constitutes a profound disruption of identity, particularly in socio-cultural contexts where women\u0026rsquo;s self-concepts are relationally anchored. While existing research has examined post-divorce distress and adjustment, limited attention has been given to experiential pathways of identity reconstruction. The present qualitative study explores how solo travel functions as a reconstructive psychosocial space through which divorced women process trauma, re-author identity, and cultivate resilience. Ten divorced women who undertook solo travel within three years of marital dissolution participated in in-depth narrative interviews. Data were analyzed using the Narrative Reconstruction Meaning-Making (NRMM) framework, which examines rupture, emotional processing, meaning-making, identity reconfiguration, and emergent resilience.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eFindings reveal a coherent transformation trajectory across cases. Divorce was initially narrated as identity disintegration marked by shame, diminished agency, and temporal disorientation. The decision to travel alone represented activation of autonomy, while embodied mastery experiences during travel facilitated restoration of competence and self-efficacy. Subsequent meaning-making processes reframed divorce from failure to survival, enabling transition from contamination narratives to redemptive self-authorship. Resilience emerged not as absence of distress but as narrative coherence, future orientation, and restored self-trust.\u003c/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eThe study extends narrative identity and post-traumatic growth scholarship by demonstrating how embodied and spatial experiences scaffold cognitive reconstruction. Solo travel functioned as a liminal bridge between rupture and renewal, highlighting the role of experiential autonomy in fostering resilient identity transformation following marital dissolution.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Reconstructing the Self Through Solo Travel: A Narrative Study of Divorced Women Using the NRMM Method","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2026-02-18 10:02:25","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-8872211/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"85a7a78b-d17f-4272-8ff9-97619df7e6a2","owner":[],"postedDate":"February 18th, 2026","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2026-02-18T10:02:28+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2026-02-18 10:02:25","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-8872211","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-8872211","identity":"rs-8872211","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}