Investigating adaptive grieving styles: a Delphi study.

Full Abstract

There has been an evolution in the understanding of the nature of grief since S. Freud's initial work, Mourning and Melancholia (1917/1953). Mental health practitioners and researchers have established new models to aid in the conceptualization and treatment of grief issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the opinions of experts in the field of grief regarding elements of a new model of adult bereavement, Martin and Doka's (2000) adaptive grieving styles, using the Delphi Method to identify points of consensus. A survey of 20 experts in the field of thanatology reached consensus on 21 items in which the panelists addressed the uniqueness of the griever, recognized there are multiple factors that influence the grieving process (i.e., culture, personality, and gender), that most bereaved individuals use both cognitive and affective strategies in adapting to bereavement, and that bereaved individuals experience both internal and external pressures to grieve in particular ways.

Author information

Author/s: Doughty, Elizabeth A (EA);

Affiliation: Department of Counseling, Idaho State Universtiy, 12301 W. Explorer Dr., Suite 102, Boise, ID 83713-1571, USA. dougeliz(-atsign-)isu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Death studies (Death Stud), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-May; vol 33 (issue 5) : pp 462-80

Dates: Created 2009/05/26; Completed 2009/05/28;

PMID: 19469075, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 5/28/2009, IMS Date: 28 May 2009 00:00:00)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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