Interviewed older adults before and after three types of bereavement/loss: attachment bereavement (child, spouse, parent), nonattachment bereavement (sibling, grandchild, friend), and other losses (nonbereavement). Five measures of health were used. Results suggest that older adult sample handled bereavements and other losses with minimal…

Examined the perception that men, specifically aging men, are more emotionally distressed than aging women by their spouse's death. Presents data from a random probability community mental health survey (N=163). Findings do not support the perception that aging widowers experience more emotional problems during bereavement than do aging widows.…

Examined middle aged daughters' (n=107) responses to death of their mother. In first six months of bereavement, many daughters experienced themes of holding on and letting go. Depression, grief, somatic reactions, impact on sense of self, acceptance of death, and ways in which ties with mother endure were differentially associated with…

Examined changes in health, functional activities, family cohesion, and psychological well-being among 18 bereaved elderly mothers following the death of an adult child. Results showed changes in all areas, but especially striking was the high level of psychological distress. Recommends increased research and clinical attention. (Author/ABL)

Develops explanation based on personal construct theory for why mourning and reminiscence are effective therapeutic processes in work with the elderly. Therapeutic case studies illustrate characteristics of these two processes and the relationship between them. (Author/TE)

The present study examines the association between the self-concept and adaptation to conjugal loss; the primary aim was to explore whether those individuals high in self-esteem, environmental mastery, and optimism have more adaptive resources with which to ameliorate the detrimental sequelae of bereavement. Analyses were conducted on data…

In this article, we address the topic of death from historic and contemporary perspectives. In the first section, we describe the changes in life expectancy, personal experience, and public awareness of death that have occurred over the past century. In the next section, we examine the impact these changes have had on the mastery of the two…

A critical review of the literature suggests the following: (1) negative changes in physical health, mortality rate, and mental health status usually accompany widowhood; (2) social-psychological variables such as the individual's characteristic ways of coping with stress and the adequacy of the social network may attenuate widowhood's negative…