Vietnam: resolving the death of a loved one

This article is based on a study to explore the grief experience of individuals who suffered the loss of a family member in the Vietnam war. A phenomenologic approach was used to understand the grief experience of five family members of Vietnam casualties. A convenience sample of five subjects was used. Data for this study were obtained through an open-ended interview conducted by the researcher in the home of each subject. The method of analysis of the phenomenologic data was based on Giorgi's (1975) model. The researcher modified this method to identify patterns and themes in the interviews. The grief experiences of the family members emerged as prolonged early phases of the grief process. The patterns identified were prolonged early phases of denial and anger. The significant themes identified were (a) denial and a sense of unreality, (b) anger, (c) isolation, (d) sadness, (e) frustration, and (f) ambivalence. Qualitative data from a sample of five subjects cannot be generalized to the population of all family members of Vietnam casualties, but it is significant and genuine for these subjects. The data suggest that the circumstances of the death, the lack of concrete evidence, the inadequate support available, and the conflicted social environment all contributed to the prolonged early grief phases and the struggle experienced by these family members to resolve their loss.