Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 11, 2026

The Adventures of Fundi Intervention Based on the Cognitive and Emotional Processing in Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder Patients
Published on: June 12, 2020
USING METAPHOR ANALYSIS TO UNDERSTAND PERSONAL AND FAMILIAL EXPERIENCES WITH BEHAVIORAL VARIANT FRONTOTEMPORAL
Makenna May1,2, Ying Zhang1, Laynie Dratch3
1Department of Health, Behavior, and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 615 N Wolfe St, Baltimore, MD 21205.
None:
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a progressive neurodegenerative condition that causes changes in behavior, personality, and language. As researchers better understand the genetic components of FTD, the number of people pursuing genetic testing, either due to their own symptoms of FTD or their family history, is increasing, making it important to understand the impact of genetic diagnosis on lived experience. Individuals may use metaphors to describe, process, and make sense of their experiences with illness. This qualitative study explores how individuals use metaphors to describe personal and familial experiences with behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD) in order to understand what themes may arise in genetic counseling sessions and to accordingly tailor clinical care. The data for this analysis comes from two study populations: asymptomatic individuals with a confirmed genetic risk for bvFTD (n=16) and individuals diagnosed with bvFTD (n=9). A secondary analysis of 25 semi-structured interviews was completed. Abductive analysis and metaphor analysis were used to identify the primary metaphors that participants used to describe their experiences with bvFTD. Two of the main themes expressed by metaphors - (1) lack of control over the disease and (2) uncertainty about inheritance and symptoms - consistently conveyed that participants were grappling with how to understand their lives in the past, present, and future. This study suggests that metaphors can provide valuable insight into how clients are revising their life narratives when bvFTD causes biographical disruption. These findings have important implications for genetic counselors working with individuals who have neurodegenerative conditions.
Related Concept Videos
Dementia l: Introduction
Modeling in Therapy
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in situations...
Dementia
The progression of dementia is generally gradual.
Autobiographical Memory
Understanding the Self
Framing Effects

