Lived experience of young widowed individuals: A qualitative study

Nurse assistants' experiences of encountering patients in grief due to the death of a loved one - a qualitative study in municipal health and social care

PURPOSE

The aim was to explore nurse assistants´ experiences of paying attention to and encountering patients receiving municipal health and social care, who are in grief due to the death of a loved one.

METHODS

A qualitative study with focus group interviews (n = 6) was conducted with nurse assistants (NAs) (n = 28) in municipal health and social care (n = 5) in southern Sweden. The data were analysed inductively using qualitative content analysis.

RESULTS

Three categories (1) Noticing changes in the patient, (2) Using different strategies to create a dialogue with the patient, (3) Experiencing challenges when encountering patients in grief, included eight sub-categories were identified. The result is captured in the theme of Having to be attentive to signs of grief after patients´ loss of loved ones, sensing the right time to approach and comfort, while having to cope with emotional challenges.

CONCLUSIONS

The NAs encountered expressions of strong emotions from patients in grief, and even expressions of a desire to end their lives. Additionally, the NAs had to deal with their own emotions that were evoked when meeting patients in grief. These challenges indicate the need for enhanced conditions in the work culture, and improved training and supervision in health and social care.

COVID-19 Ruptures And Disruptions on Grieving And Mourning Within an African Context: Lessons For Social Work Practice

Losing a significant other through death is a tragic experience worsened by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). To curb this massive increase of deaths, the South African government introduced various rules to regulate the burial process. However, these COVID-19 regulations have caused major ruptures and disruptions on how bereaved families observe and practice cultural rites and customs following death within an African context. Consequently, many bereaved family members, particularly Black Africans, struggle with adhering to the regulations and funerals have been coined 'super spreaders' of the virus. The concerns raised in this article are twofold, namely, the impact of the Covid-19 regulations on how Black Africans grieve and mourn, as well as the involvement of social workers in formulating regulations that ought to be adhered to. This article explores the fissures and bricolages brought about by COVID-19, ultimately suggesting possible ways of dealing the losses ascribed to the pandemic.

A Socioecological Examination of the Challenges Associated With Young Widowhood: A Systematic Review

This systematic review employs a socio-ecological framework to investigate the challenges that arise due to early spousal loss. The research team conducted a systematic review of studies published between 2013 and 2023 to uncover factors that influence the grieving process in bereaved spouses. The results reveal that concurrent with the grief and devastation associated with partner loss, young widows and widowers also face a harsh reality filled with secondary losses, financial difficulty, mental health distress, emotional anguish, and identity crises. These hardships are exacerbated by social norms that disenfranchise the grief of young widows and widowers. These norms are then enacted interpersonally and codified in policy. The review's findings underscore the necessity for increased community grief education and support, focused clinical attention, and policy advocacy.

Widowed Young: The Role of Stressors and Protective Factors for Resilience in Coping with Spousal Loss

While distressing, late life spousal loss is considered a normative life event and most demonstrate resilient recovery from grief. However, for 5-7% of the population spousal loss comes early, before the age of 50, and little is known about the factors that influence adjustment in this population. We used the DPM integrative framework to examine correlates and predictors of mental wellbeing and grief intensity in an international sample of 603 young widows and widowers. Contrary to existing bereavement research, loss-orientated stressors (e.g., expectedness and cause of death) did not predict bereavement outcomes. Employment and financial wellbeing were the only statistically significant restoration-orientated stressors associated with coping, mental wellbeing and grief intensity. We found no significant associations between parental status and coping or bereavement outcomes. Loss-orientated coping, followed by inter and intrapersonal protective factors for resilience and financial wellbeing were the greatest predictors of grief intensity. Loss-orientated coping was highest in early bereavement, the greatest predictor of grief intensity and associated with being unemployed, financial insecurity and decreased protective factors for resilience. Restoration-orientated coping was highest in later bereavement, was a weak predictor of grief intensity and associated with being employed, increased financial wellbeing and protective factors for resilience. Overall, we found the young-widowed population is at heightened risk of poor adjustment. Almost two-thirds reported decreased functioning, probable depression with high rates of psychological distress. Nearly half met diagnostic criteria for prolonged grief disorder. We discuss implications for research and clinical practice.

The lived experiences of young adults grieving an intimate partner or spouse: A phenomenological pilot study

This pilot study explored the lived experiences of six young adults between the ages of 18-32 years grieving an intimate partner or spouse. Through Moustakas's (1994) steps of transcendental phenomenological analysis, four key themes revealed a traumatic initial period after the death, the importance of helpful vs dismissive community support, a continuation of meaningful activities and ritual to honor the deceased, and significant shifts in participants' life plans and worldviews. These themes suggest that clinicians may consider facilitating identity-restructuring exercises (e.g., journaling) and inclusive community spaces to support this unique population of grievers. Implications for future research are discussed, including the suggestion to create more targeted inclusion criteria to improve the clinical relevance of results in future studies.

"Life after him was just hell": Young rural women's lived experiences of widowhood in Rajasthan, India

This phenomenological study was conducted in rural Rajasthan, India, to explore young widows' lived experiences. On receipt of written informed consent, we interviewed 14 young widows. The data were analyzed in an idiographic style using the interpretive phenomenological approach. The perspective of loss and sociocultural contexts grounded the analysis. Six themes emerged corresponding to the women's widowhood experiences: becoming a widow; entangled by customs; stigmatization; the impossible marriage; hope in widowhood; and economic deprivation. The results underline the predicaments of young widows, and these experiences are largely framed by the sociocultural and gender norms prevailing in rural communities. The study's findings imply the need for strengthening social and legislative measures for young widows.

Exploring the process of adjustment following partner death in younger, widowed individuals: A qualitative systematic review

Age influences the experience of widowhood and the likelihood of adverse outcomes. This review synthesizes 13 qualitative studies that explored adjustment following the death of a partner at a younger age, within a Western-cultural context. Thematic synthesis identified six analytical themes: unique challenges; identity changes; levels of distress; coping; support; and adapting following the loss. Bereavement challenges younger widow(er)'s life expectations, identity, and friendships. Social support, faith, and access to age-specific support may facilitate positive adjustment. The findings inform the development of effective interventions to support positive adjustment in younger widowhood.

Living with spousal loss: Continuing bonds and boundaries in remarried widows' marital relationships

The grief literature emphasizes widows' continuing bonds with their deceased spouses as a significant part of their grief process. Yet, little is known about what happens to those bonds when a widow remarries and there is a second spouse, and how these bonds are dealt with by the new family members. This study explored the continuing bonds of remarried Israeli widows, the role the second spouse plays in these processes, and the ambiguity and permeability of the boundaries between the first and the second marital relationships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 29 Israeli remarried military widows, over three decades after their first husbands' deaths. Data were analyzed by using thematic content analysis. Findings revealed that most of the women maintained continuing bonds with their deceased husbands, whereas a few of them severed these bonds. In all of the scenarios, however, the second husband played a major role, resulting in different levels of boundaries, from strict to blurred, between the first and the second marriages. These findings suggest that in order to obtain a full understanding of grief's impact on the second marital relationship, grief should be considered a couple-hood process in which the boundaries between the relationships are dynamic. The association between these patterns and personal and marital adjustment should be further explored.

Partner bereavement when parenting dependent children: What factors influence adjustment?

Little is known about those who are widowed while raising dependent children. This study aimed to explore the factors which influence adjustment to partner death. Seven fathers and five mothers were interviewed, and constructivist grounded theory was used. Three interrelated themes were identified: Interpersonal influences, Intrapersonal influences, and Contextual influences. Dependent children meant sole responsibility and increased demands, yet ultimately provided widowed parents a purpose. Participants highlighted the need for increased awareness of young widowhood at a systemic and cultural level, to improve communication around death and young widowhood. Implications included social, financial and therapeutic interventions.

Lived Experiences of Widows of Armed Conflict in Kashmir: A Qualitative Study

Armed conflicts create significant risks on almost every section of the society, as new forms of violence arise and the existing ones get exaggerated. In Kashmir, the long-standing conflict has resulted in the number of widows, orphans and enforced disappearance; however, little in-depth attention has been given in the literature on widows to the impact of this conflict. This present study examined the lived experiences of Kashmiri widows who had lost their husbands to the on-going conflict. Using the snowball sampling approach, 12 women were recruited for the face-to-face in-depth interviews. The findings of the study gained an in-depth understanding of the experiences of violence, deprivation, social stigma and psychological trauma, followed by their strategies for coping and struggle for justice. Widows are the worst hit victims of armed conflict and, therefore, inclusive interventions are needed to enhance the status of widows in a long run.