Response to the death of a spouse was examined by focusing on acceptance, which was conceptualized as both a process and an outcome. Grounded theory was applied to analyze the experience of 15 bereaved Hong Kong Chinese older adults. The main theme that emerged was time. Acceptance of spousal death was found to be related to the search for meaning…

This review examines the role of religion, for better and worse, in marital and parent-child relationships according to peer-reviewed studies from 1999 to 2009. A conceptual framework of relational spirituality is used (a) to organize the breadth of findings into the 3 stages of formation, maintenance, and transformation of family relationships…

Based upon qualitative data from a sample of 77 married or long-term cohabiting heterosexuals self-defining as involuntarily celibate, we used social exchange theory to develop a model for understanding the causes and consequences of sexual inactivity in committed relationships. Although reported consequences of involuntary celibacy tended to be…

This qualitative study of nine women examined the changes in their everyday lives as they cared for their terminally-ill husbands and after their husbands died. It also studied how the women coped with these changes, and how their coping contributed to their identity change from wife to widow. Symbolic interaction was utilized to study the changes…

Spiritually based resources (SBR) generally have a salutary effect on coping with cancer diagnosis and treatment. Few studies address this relationship in long-term cancer survivorship, however. As part of a study on long-term prostate cancer survivorship, wives' ways of coping with cancer-related issues were explored through longitudinal…

To test a caregiving model of depression in spouses, 31 married couples completed interview and questionnaire assessments of depressive symptoms and caregiving activities. Spouses living with a partner with depressive symptoms had more symptoms of depression themselves. However, this association was found to be fully mediated by spouses' perceived…

We present the findings from a qualitative study examining the marital perceptions of 9 wives of veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Data were from a semistructured in-depth focus group interview. Findings reveal how the lives of these women largely revolved around their husbands' illness. The wives faced constant tension between…

This study examines the factors contributing to middle-aged widows' adaptation to their husbands' death due to physical illness, 1 to 5 years after the initial loss. Ninety-three widows and 93 married women, who served as controls, filled out questionnaires assessing their experience of stress and strain, their Sense of Coherence level, the social…

The spouse of a former superintendent provides suggestions for minimizing, though never eliminating, harmful repercussions on their mates. Expectations of being a public persona, socializing with board members, sacrificing free time, responding to public criticism, and dealing with boards' private agendas demand creative coping approaches.…

Examines whether bereavement is causally related to the high risk of death among the widowed. Reviews the use of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies and shortcomings in the research. Discusses possible alternative explanations for high mortality risk. Suggests continued research in this area. (RC)

Examined effectiveness of group program for spouses (n=42) of frail aging veterans that included support, education, problem solving, and stress reduction. Compared with caregivers (n=47) receiving no intervention, those in group program showed significant increases in use of coping strategies, knowledge of community resources, perceived…

This study sought to assess the effectiveness of a marital distress prevention program for couples by examining how marital quality, especially marital competencies such as dyadic coping, could be improved by means of a prevention program focusing on the enhancement of coping resources (Couples Coping Enhancement Training). The study consisted of…