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An international perspective on bereavement related concepts
W Middleton1, A Moylan, B Raphael
1Royal Brisbane Hospital, Herston, Queensland.
The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry
|September 1, 1993
Summary
Leading experts favor attachment and psychodynamic models for understanding grief. They support terms like "delayed" and "chronic" grief but reject "distorted grief." This research clarifies grief terminology.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Bereavement Studies
Background:
- Understanding diverse grief experiences is crucial in clinical practice and research.
- Existing theoretical models offer varying perspectives on the grieving process.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess expert opinions on grief concepts and theoretical orientations.
- To evaluate the acceptance of specific terms used to describe grief variants.
Main Methods:
- Survey of leading researchers, theorists, and clinicians in bereavement.
- Analysis of expert views on conceptual models and grief terminology.
Main Results:
- Attachment theory and psychodynamic models were overwhelmingly favored.
- Significant support was found for
- delayed
- chronic
- anticipatory
- absent
- grief.
- Limited support existed for
- inhibited
- unresolved
- distorted
- grief terms.
Conclusions:
- Attachment and psychodynamic frameworks are central to expert understanding of grief.
- Consensus exists on specific grief descriptors, while others require further definition or are less utilized.