Türkiye’deki Görme Engelli İkiz Müzisyenlerin Öz Kimlik Gelişimi, Öz Saygı Oluşumu ve Psikolojik Esenlikleri: Kerim-Selim Altınok Örneği

Year 2025, Volume: 18 Issue: 2, 362 - 382, 31.08.2025

Ozan Eren , Ferzan Curun , Nasir Warfa

https://doi.org/10.37093/ijsi.1522522

Abstract

Öz kimlik gelişimi, çeşitli teorik temaları kapsayan bir şemsiye kavramdır. Öz saygı ise bireyin duygularının ve 'değerinin' genel değerlendirmesini yansıtır. Bu makale, Kerim Altınok (KA) ve Selim Altınok'un (SA) kimlik gelişimini ve öz saygı oluşumunu incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. İkiz kardeşler, Türkiye'de tanınmış ve ünlü kör müzisyenlerdir. Türkiye'de ve diğer yerlerde, kör insanlar önemli yaşam zorlukları yaşama eğilimindedirler ve düşük öz saygı ve zedelenmiş öz kimlikten muzdariptirler. Bu çalışmayı yürütmek için nitel yöntemler kullandık. Yarı yapılandırılmış anketler kullanarak ikiz kardeşlerle derinlemesine görüşmeler gerçekleştirdik. Özellikle, katılımcıların ‘Bana’ ve ‘Ben’ kavramlarını nasıl oluşturduklarına ve güçlü bir öz kimlik ve yüksek öz saygıyı nasıl başarıyla geliştirdiklerine odaklandık. İlk görüşme, 2019'da İstanbul’un bir semtindeki yerel bir restoranda gerçekleşti. 2020-2021'deki koronavirüs salgını nedeniyle görüşmelerin geri kalanını çevrimiçi olarak gerçekleştirdik. Görüşmeleri yazıya çevirdik ve veriler tematik analize tabi tutuldu. Bulgularımız, Kerim ve Selim’in genç yaşta kör olmalarına rağmen, yıllar içinde yüksek öz saygı ve güçlü bir öz kimlik geliştirdiklerini göstermektedir. Çocukluktan yetişkinliğe kadar büyük yaşam zorluklarıyla karşılaşmış ve bunların üstesinden gelmişlerdir. Hayat hikayeleri dikkat çekicidir ve yaşanmış deneyimlerinden, birincil bir engelle yaşamalarına ragmen, nasıl güçlü bir öz kimlik ve yüksek öz saygı geliştirdikleri konusunda gerçek bir öğrenme fırsatı vardır.

Keywords

Kerim Altınok , Selim Altınok , öz kimlik , öz saygı , körlük , Türkiye

Self-identity Development, Self-esteem Formation and Psychological Wellbeing of Blind Twin Musicians in Türkiye: The Case of Kerim-Selim Altınok

Abstract

Self-identity development is an umbrella concept that covers various theoretical themes. Self-esteem, on the other hand, reflects an individual’s overall evaluation of their feelings and ‘worth’. This manuscript aims to explore the identity development and self-esteem formation of Kerim Altınok (KA) and Selim Altınok (SA). The twin brothers are well-known and celebrated blind musicians in Türkiye. In Türkiye and elsewhere, blind people tend to experience significant life difficulties, and suffer from low self-esteem and dented self-identity. We used qualitative methods to conduct this study. Utilizing semi-structured questionnaire, we carried out in-depth-interviews with the twin brothers. Specifically, we focused on how the participants have constructed the notions of ‘Me’ and ‘I’, and successfully developed strong self-identity and high self-esteem. The first interview took place at a local restaurant in a leafy suburb of Istanbul in 2019. We conducted the rest of the interviews online because of the coronavirus pandemic outbreak in 2020-2021. We transcribed the interviews, and the data were subjected to thematic analysis. Our findings suggest that Kerim and Selim developed high self-esteem and strong self-identity over the decades despite becoming blind at a young age. They encountered and overcame major life challenges from childhood to adult life. Their life narratives are remarkable and there is a real opportunity to learn from their lived experience, and how they have developed strong self-identity and high self-esteem despite living with a primary disability.

Keywords

Kerim Altınok , Selim Altınok , self-identity , self-esteem , blindness , Türkiye

Thanks

Special thanks go to Kerim and Selim Altınok for their invaluable contributions. We are particularly grateful for the constructive and insightful comments from the reviewers. We would also like to thank Jacob Olley and Sophia Zervas for their exquisite proofreading of the different versions of this work.

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