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…

Compared stress and coping levels of 108 older adults who recently lost their spouses with expectations of stress and coping reported by 85 matched nonbereaved controls. Although bereaved reported moderately high stress levels over two years, their stress scores were lower and coping scores higher than what nonbereaved anticipated their levels…

Assessed personality functioning in 19 fatally and chronically ill outpatient children. Found important differences in measures of distress that are thought to be roughly the same. Suggests the most common empirical methods are poorly fitted to the task of understanding the distress of fatally or chronically ill children. (Author/JAC)

Of 138 persons who completed a 2-year longitudinal study of bereavement, 25 were having difficulties after 2 years according to a scale which combined perceived stress, coping, and depression. Poor copers had lower self-esteem. Low self-esteem, even prior to bereavement may be predictive of coping difficulties 2 years following the death of a…

Reported the stress and coping experience of community volunteers who counseled dying clients and their families. Volunteers most frequently reported turning to themselves or to the client when distressed, also to peers, friends, and family. A common role-defined purpose was significant in stress response and coping. (Author)

Attempts to identify and describe perceived stress and coping responses of family and nonfamily significant others of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. Significant others were asked to identify stressful events related to treatment factors, relationship factors, and perception of the patient's condition. Coping responses were categorized in…

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…

Suggests that stress on the rapid establishment of "cognitive re-structuring" is inappropriate for many types of suicidal clients. Bracketing and stabilization are suggested as alternative means to increase client ability to grasp personal orientations and perspectives. Stress on the client's ability to control is important. (Author)

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…

Examined how parents grieve loss of a baby through miscarriage or stillbirth. Interviewed 26 couples 2 weeks after a perinatal loss. Ethnographic content analysis revealed 12 themes closely related to resources, meaning of the stressful event, and coping strategies, all of which are elements, of Hill's ABC-X stress model. (JBJ)