Introduction to special journal issue examines links among death, distress, and solidarity (social support). Notes that solidarity constitutes most important coping mechanism when facing death and intense distress associated with death. Briefly summarizes articles in issue, noting decision to view solidarity in larger perspective than one adopted…

Reviews last 10 years of research, counseling, and treatment in area of bereavement. Notes that community support can help some individuals coping with grief, but that others require different interventions. Sees need for research into sequence of events that lead to adverse physical, mental, or social consequences in bereavement, and about types…

Describes the Compassionate Friends self-help group as an effective intervention in the severe bereavement after the death of a child. The decision to attend the group, to affiliate, to transform oneself into a helper within the group form the framework of the description. (Author/NRB)

Describes Critical Incident Stress Debriefing process (CISD) as model designed to mitigate impact of life-threatening crises on health care workers, to facilitate their return to routine functioning, and to prevent pathological responses to trauma that is inherent aspect of their profession. Examines development of CISD and explores its…

Describes the role of the counselor in self-help groups for the bereaved. Based on experience with the Compassionate Friends, a group of bereaved parents, the counselors' most useful role appears to be that of an intermediary, resource person, and facilitator of group processes and organization. (Author/JAC)

Examined life purpose, life satisfaction, reasons for living, and social support in recently bereaved individuals (n=122). Results indicated purpose was associated with greater life satisfaction, stronger reasons for living, more social support, and less impact; those bereaved from suicide were not different from other death groups. (Author/ABL)

Examined differences within 34 pairs of parents bereaved by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), 3-40 months after their loss. Findings revealed that bereaved parents sought support from within family most frequently and from outside resources the least. Bereaved mothers used these coping patterns significantly more often than did fathers. Found…

Identified several different patterns of adaptation over first 18 months of bereavement represented by levels of subjective stress and depression in 131 widowed men and women. Anticipatory grief, concurrent stressors, social support, and spiritual support correlated with single significant function which discriminated between different courses of…