DEATH, DYING AND BEREAVEMENT: THE HEALING PROCESS
This paper examines the process of bereavement. The paper begins with a description and discussion of the general symptoms associated with bereavement; this is followed by an examination of several factors contributing to variance in both the duration and intensity of the bereavement process. The review then examines psychotherapeutic interventions designed to facilitate the healing process. The final section of the review consists of a series of conclusions about the process formulated on the basis of the reviewed studies.
Bereavement is the emotional experience undergone by a person in reaction to the death of another who was significant in his or her life (Aiken, 1994). According to Sue, Sue and Sue (1994), there are a number of symptoms typically associated with bereavement. These include: depressed mood (often expressed through crying behavior, heavy sighing, and communications of sadness); difficulties sleeping, concentrating, and remembering things; difficulty eating; tiredness or fatigue; and feelings of hopelessness.
Most theoretical models of bereavement are stage models which is to say that they characterize the bereavement process as a series of steps, or phases that people undergo. The major models of bereavement are presented in Table 1. As can be seen from examination of this table, there are certain similarities and dissimilarities in these models.
Major Psychological Models of Bereavement*
_________________________________________________________________
Stage 1. Concentration directed toward the deceased.
Stage 2. Anger or hostility toward the deceased or others.
Stage 3. Appeals to others for support and help.
Stage 4. Despair, withdrawal, and general disorganization.
Stage 5. Reorganization and direction of self toward a new love object.
Stage 1. Initial shock (first few days)--characterized by loss of self-control, r...