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Turkish Validity and Reliability Study of Perinatal Bereavement Care Competence Scale. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-19 Ayse Irem Gokcek,Neslihan Keser Ozcan
To translate and culturally adapt the Perinatal Bereavement Care Competence Scale (PBCCS) scale into Turkish (T- PBCCS) and determine its psychometric properties. This reliability and validity study was conducted with 150 midwives between April and September 2024. The 150 active midwives completed the information form and the T-PBCCS forms. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a six-factor structure
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Perinatal Grief Counseling and Its Effect on Grief Levels in Women Who Underwent Pregnancy Termination: A Comparative Experimental Study OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-18 Zeynep Kübra Gölçek, Ayça Demir Yildirim
This study was designed as a two-group pre-test post-test comparative experimental study to examine the effects of grief counseling on perinatal grief levels in women who underwent pregnancy termination before discharge from the clinic. This study was conducted with 70 women who underwent medical termination of pregnancy. The intervention group ( n = 35) received perinatal grief care, while the control
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Suicidal Ideation Among Older Adults in Prison: A Qualitative Study OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-14 Hila Avieli
Suicide is a serious public health concern, and people who are incarcerated represent a particularly high-risk group. Although research on the suicidality of persons in prison has gained interest in recent decades, the issue of suicide among older adults in prison has been understudied. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the ways in which older adults in prison understood their
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Cremation in Interwar Romania: The Case of the Potter’s Field OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-14 Marius Rotar, Timotei Stoian Grapă
This article aims to analyse the activities of Potter’s Field practice in Romania as part of the Patriarch Miron Orthodox Association. From its very beginning it was orientated against the apparition of cremation in Romania, realized in the first cremation at the Cenușa Crematorium in Bucharest (1928). The target was to ‘save’ poor people from cremation, considering that the cremation aimed to remove
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Prolonged Grief, Posttraumatic Stress and Depression Symptoms Before and After COVID-19 in Brazil OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-14 Alice Martins Abadi, Alice Einloft Brunnet, Laura Teixeira Bolaséll, Natália Saldanha Silva, Clara Machado Pinto, Giulia da Silva Maciel, Christian Haag Kristensen
This study aims to explore the differences in prolonged grief (PDG), posttraumatic stress (PTSD), and depression symptoms (MDD) following the loss of a loved one before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a cross-sectional design, 888 bereaved individuals were classified on different groups according to the cause of death. Results indicate that participants who experienced a loss during the pandemic
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Finding Hope in Finnish Parents Following the Traumatic Death of Their Child OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-07 Nur Atikah Mohamed Hussin, Anna Liisa Aho, Jari Kylmä
Hope is a complex and ever-evolving personal phenomenon that plays a vital role in individuals’ abilities to cope with stressful events. This is particularly true for parents who are coping with the traumatic loss of a child. However, the topic of hope in this context is often inadequately addressed. The primary objective of this paper is to gain insight into the hope held by Finnish parents following
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“Death Bouncers” and “Spiritual Guides”: How End-of-Life Doulas Provide, Frame, and Navigate Spirituality and Spiritual Care OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-07 Sarah Donley, Casey Fannin
The medicalization of death has left gaps in the spiritual and psychosocial well-being of the dying. Factors like professional and caregiver burnout, lack of training, overburdened caseloads and rigid schedules, and other organizational constraints lead to holistic, humane care falling through the cracks. Consequently, the dying and their families are opting to rely on individuals who can bridge these
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Natural Burial: An Exploratory Study of Attitudes and Practices Among Funeral Directors in the US OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-06 Amy Z. Ticho, David Barry
The market for natural burial has increased for a variety of reasons including positions on environmental and sustainability issues, religious and spiritual considerations, and cost. While there is growing research on popular perceptions from potential consumers, very little is known about the industry actors, institutions, and structures that support natural burial practices. This study examines the
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The Impact of Turkey’s Withdrawal From the Istanbul Convention on Suspicious Female Deaths and Femicides OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-02 Fatma Gülsüm Önal, Bahar Marangoz
In recent years, suspicious deaths, often portrayed as “falls from a height,” have been increasingly associated with femicides in Turkey. This phenomenon coincided with the official withdrawal process from the “Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence” (Istanbul Convention). Our study aims to reveal the impact of Turkey’s withdrawal from
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Psychometric Properties of the Korean Version of the Revised Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale for Bereaved Adults OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-09-02 Ahran Jo, Dong Hun Lee, Ye Jin Kim, Holly G. Prigerson
This study aims to validate the Korean version of the Revised Prolonged Grief Disorder scale (PG-13-R-K) by exploring the psychometric properties of the revised Prolonged Grief Disorder scale in bereaved South Korean adults. A total of 694 bereaved individuals who had experienced the loss of a close person for a duration ranging from 12 to 24 months were included in this study and randomly divided
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Parental Grief After the Unexpected Death of a Child: A Scoping Review About the Impact on Parent’s Social Networks and the Function of Self-Help Groups OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-31 Javier Berrozpe, María Cantero-García, Irene Caro-Cañizares
The unexpected death of a child, whether due to accident, sudden death syndrome, suicide, or homicide, causes profound parental grief that endures for years. Often, this grief is not fully understood by the social environment, leading parents to feel increasingly misunderstood and isolated. While initial support may be provided, it can become insufficient over time. Therefore, many parents turn to
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This is the End: The Role of Death in the Narrative Structure of Popular Movies OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-29 Kobie van Krieken, Enny Das
A set of sixty popular movies is analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively on the role of death in the narrative structure and the portrayal of death. Results of the quantitative analysis show that death events tend to be story-terminating, which implies that death is typically depicted as meaningful in relation to the past. The qualitative thematic analysis reveals that death is also depicted
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Maladaptive Personality Characteristics, Coping and Situational Factors Predict Symptoms of Complicated Grief and Health Difficulties OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-29 Ashley Peak, Luci Martin, Kristina M. Post, William Hua
Grief responses range from minimal changes in functioning to debilitating, prolonged, complicated grief. The objective of the current study was to clarify the relationship between maladaptive personality characteristics, coping and situational factors associated with symptoms of complicated grief and health difficulties among bereaved individuals who had lost a loved one within the past six months
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Embracing Endings: Unveiling the Connection Between Final Conversations, the Opportunity Model for Presence, and Coping With the Death of Our Parents OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-24 Emily Scheinfeld, Kelly E. Tenzek, Jessica Cherry
This study examines adult children’s loss of a parent through final conversations and communal coping. By looking at survivors’ experiences through the lens of the opportunity model for presence (OMP) during the end-of-life (EOL) process, a model that provides a path of engagement leading to a good or bad death and consequent bereavement processes, we quantitatively test the relationships between two
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Bereaved Individuals Attempts to Explain Their Unexplainable Experiences Related to the Death of Their Loved one Through Attribution Thinking OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-24 Milla Mäkikomsi, Anja Terkamo-Moisio, Marja Kaunonen, Anna L. Aho
Continuing bond manifesting as unexplainable experiences reflects bereaved´s attempts to restore connection with the deceased. As an experience unaligned with a person’s overall schemas of meaning unexplainable experiences are a source of anxiety that individuals aim to alleviate by attribution thinking. This study describes how bereaved aim to explain unexplainable experiences related to the death
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The Absence of Funeral Rites as a Risk Factor for the French Bereaved Population OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-23 Livia Sani, Chad Cape, José Merheb, Nicolas Poulin, Boris Lassagne, Géraldine Canet, Maxime Lallemant, Jacques Cherblanc, Ciro De Vincenzo, Ines Testoni, Lissy Canellopoulos, Nicholas T. Kaufmann, Marie-Frédérique Bacqué
During the COVID-19 pandemic, stringent measures were imposed in numerous countries, including France. These measures significantly disrupted societal practices, particularly mourning and funeral rituals. This study, conducted between June and September 2021 as part of the COVIDEUIL-France research, involved 242 participants, predominantly female (84%) with an average age of 49.64 years. The research
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“Talking About Funerals Won’t Make You Dead”: Dialogic Tensions in Death Café Design and Facilitation OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-22 Jessica Cherry, Laura W. Black
Death Cafes (DCs) explicitly encourage conversation and constitute space to explore the dialogue around death and dying. This study draws on scholarship from communication and dialogue theory to explore the design features and facilitation practices used within DC meetings. Through qualitative analysis of the DC webpage and interviews with facilitators, the study uncovers how DC facilitators structure
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Performance of Adult’s Death and Burial Among Ilaje People of Southwest Nigeria OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-21 Rantimi Jays Julius-Adeoye, Masoje Oghenerobaro Akpor-Robaro, Damilola Mayowa Babarinde, Elizabeth Amarukhor Omoruyi
The meaning ascribed to death differs from one society to the other. This study adopts the descriptive method in unraveling the ritual of burial practices among the Ilaje people of Nigeria’s Niger delta. Based on linguistic similarities, Ilaje people are part of the Yoruba ethnic group of Nigeria’s Southwest area. Among the people, burial accorded to the dead is based on how the deceased died. The
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Exploring Funeral Directors' Experience and Perceived Impact of Providing Funeral Services During COVID-19 Restrictions. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-20 Anne Dodd,Suzanne Guerin
The importance of ritual/ceremony following bereavement is well documented, however restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the freedom to bury loved ones according to beliefs/traditions. This study explores the experiences of staff providing funeral services during COVID-19 and considers the implications for supporting bereaved families. Fifty-eight staff (male, 72.4%; n = 42) from 17 counties
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The Internalization of Stigma and the Shaping of the Grief Experience for Peers Bereaved by a Drug-Related Death. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-19 Daniel O'Callaghan,Sharon Lambert
People who use drugs form a significant part of the community who are impacted by drug-related deaths, but their stigmatized positioning in society yields implications for their access to support and the social recognition of their grief. This project explores how the internalization of drug-related stigmas shapes the grief experience for peers bereaved by a DRD. Six individuals who experienced the
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Family Coping With COVID-19: Unexpected Parental Loss and Surviving Parent Coping, Grief and Posttraumatic Growth Outcomes Based on Child Age OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-17 Erin Donohue
Guided by the conceptual framework of widowed parenting, the current study takes a relational approach to understand more about how the characteristics of parents of young and adult children relate to coping following the unexpected death of a partner due to COVID-19, and how these variables predict complicated grief and posttraumatic growth. A sample of 81 widowed parents completed self-report measures
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Suicide in the USA: A Decadal Study From the 1930s to the 2020s OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-16 John L. McIntosh, Christopher W. Drapeau
This study provides a decadal analysis of national suicide data over 90 years, offering a comprehensive view of long-term trends and current levels in the United States. We analyzed mean decadal suicide numbers, rates, and confidence intervals from the 1930s to the early 2020s across demographic categories including sex, race, and age. Our findings reveal that suicide rates in the 2020s are the highest
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“It doesn’t Always Have to Be an Expert”: Professionals’ Perceptions of Practical Aspects of the Existential Dimension of Care for People Approaching Death OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-10 Carl Bäckersten, Ulla Molander, Inger Benkel, Stina Nyblom
‘Existential’ can be seen as a broad term for issues surrounding people’s experiences and way of thinking about life. This study examined availability of existential care and found that many different staff categories performed existential care. Existential care is associated with conversations and experienced as both easy and difficult; several factors were cited, e.g. insufficient time, stress and
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‘‘While There’s Life There’s Hope’’ Hope in Palliative Care: A Qualitative Study OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-10 Özge Kısaoğlu, Havva Tel
Hope is a critically important concept in palliative care that enables coping and increases quality of life. This qualitative study was conducted to determine how palliative care patients describe hope and the factors that increase or decrease hope after a hope intervention. Data were collected through semi-structural interviews with 10 palliative care patients. The analysis followed a thematic analysis
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Experiences of Parents of Children with Cancer in the Diagnosis Process: A Qualitative Study OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-09 Pınar BEKAR, Münevver ERKUL, Emine EFE
This study aimed to describe the experiences of parents of children with cancer in the diagnosis process. A descriptive qualitative research design and content analysis method were used. Eleven parents participated in the study. Three main themes emerged, each with related sub-themes: encountering a cancer diagnosis, changes in the lives of those affected by the diagnosis, and coping strategies. Upon
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The Effect of Psychotherapy Interventions After Stillbirth on the Grief Process and Depression: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-09 Aysu Yıldız Karaahmet, Fatma Şule Bilgiç
This study aimed to provide a systematic overview of existing quantitative research on the effects of psychotherapy interventions given to women with stillbirth on the grief process and depression in the postpartum period and to analyze the results. Four databases (PubMed (MEDLINE), Cochrane, Google Scholar, Web of Science) were searched between January-March 2024. Risk of bias and precision of evidence
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Exploring Death Anxiety Among Older Adults: An Integrative Review of Associated Factors and Interventions OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-08 Rudy S. Younes, Elias Rahme, Ferial Rajha, Mirna Abboud Mzawak
With the aging of the population and the substantial surge of individuals above the age of 60, psychological concerns particular to this population have come to hold more weight on the healthcare and social levels. One of the concerns of older adults, which can significantly influence their psychological well-being, is the fear of inevitable mortality or death anxiety. This integrative review tackles
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Risk Factors of Prolonged Grief Disorder OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-08 Emma Quadlander-Goff, Jill Meyer
Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is characterized by extensive yearning, which includes a strong desire, for the deceased that occurs for at least 12 months. The aim of this study was to identify risk factors that contribute to PGD including the type of loss, relationship to the deceased, and coping. The sample included 190 bereaved adults (71 unexpected or violent loss and 119 natural loss) that experienced
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Mortality Salience and Death Anxiety: The Moderating Roles of Self-Esteem and Religiosity OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-07 Moh’d Haniel O. Abdul
The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between mortality salience, death anxiety, and two moderating variables: self-esteem and religiosity. A total of 174 undergraduate students from the Mindanao State University-Main Campus in the Philippines were selected via convenience sampling. Specifically, the study was carried out to determine if both self-esteem and religiosity moderate
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Impact of Death Anxiety on Psychological Well-Being and Successful Aging of Older Adults With Chronic Illness OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-07 Akanksha Bharti, Das Ambika Bharti
Comorbidities due to aging and the COVID-19 pandemic together are expected to cause death anxiety among older adults. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of death anxiety and its impact on psychological well-being and successful aging of older adults with chronic illness. A cross-sectional correlational survey was conducted on 79 older adults with chronic illness, drawn with a stratified random
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Psychometric Properties of the Revised Version of the Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale (PG-13-R): A Methodological Study in the Iranian Population OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-06 Seyedmohammad Mirhosseini, Mahboobeh Khajeh, Hamid Sharif-Nia, Fatemeh Sadat Hosseini, Hossein Ebrahimi
Prolonged grief disorder has recently been officially introduced as a new mental disorder. This study aimed to validate the Persian version of the revised Prolonged Grief Scale (PG-13-R). This study was conducted among the general population in Shahroud, Iran, during 2023. Employing face and content validity, along with exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA), the study validates the PG-13-R
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Cultural Differences Predict Palliative Care Development Across the United States: The Role of Cultural Tightness and Looseness OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-06 Brenna Mossman, Damian R. Murray, James Gerhart, Sonia Malhotra, Taylor Alcorn, Michael Hoerger
Across the United States, some regions demonstrate greater readiness to adopt palliative care than others. This geographic variation in access and utilization may be due to cultural variation in “tightness” and “looseness,” which can be understood as the relative strength and enforcement of social norms and behavioral constraint within a culture. The present study examined the influence of cultural
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Medical Chart Review to Explore Suicidal and Self-Harm Thoughts and Behavior Among Psychiatric Inpatients OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-05 Bryce E. Stoliker, Temilola Balogun, Haile Wangler, Mansfield Mela, Lisa M. Jewell, Brent Nixon, Kingsley Nwachukwu
Suicide and self-harm events are elevated in psychiatric inpatient populations. In this study, health data were retrospectively collected from the medical records of 183 patients (97 civil and 86 forensic) who had resided in, or been admitted to, a public psychiatric hospital in Saskatchewan, Canada from April 1 to December 31, 2021. Descriptive and inferential analyses were conducted to estimate prevalence
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The Psychopathological Predictors and Effects of Death Anxiety. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-04 Waqar Husain,Manahil Mehmood Malik,Amna Shakeel,Aliya Riaz,Mahnoor,Haitham Jahrami
Death anxiety has been linked to several psychopathological conditions. However, the causes, comorbidity, and differential diagnosis of death anxiety is unexplored. This paper stands out by identifying common predictors of death anxiety and exploring the potential of death anxiety as a predictor for other psychological conditions. The paper reports the findings of four consecutive studies that involved
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Protective Factors Associated With the Loss of a Child due to Oncological Illness: Systematic Review OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-08-03 Marina González-Biber, María Rueda-Extremera, Sandra Gomez-Martínez, María Cantero-García
This systematic review explores factors influencing resilience and post-traumatic growth in parents who have lost a child under 25 to cancer. While such parents are vulnerable to complicated grief, not all experience it. Eight qualitative and mixed studies from ProQuest, Science Direct, PubMed, and Cochrane databases were included. They highlight the importance of support and communication with palliative
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Disenfranchised Grief: Which Grieving Rules Do German Mid-adolescents Hold? OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-24 Angela Siebel, Heidi Müller, Marc Augustin, Christian Zwingmann
Every society adheres to grieving rules that govern how people experience loss and grief. These are rarely communicated explicitly, which can lead to insecurities in dealing with one’s own grief and the grief of others. This is particularly true for adolescents. Based on Doka’s concept of disenfranchised grief, this study explores the grieving rules of mid-adolescents. Cross-sectional data collection
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Exploring Resilience and Post-traumatic Growth Among Bereaved Adults in Kosovo OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-24 Benita Cërmjani, Kaltrina Kelmendi
The study explores resilience and posttraumatic growth in adults in Kosovo who have experienced grief, using the Resilience Portfolio Model as a guiding framework. Twelve participants shared their experiences through semi-structured interviews, aiming to capture detailed personal narratives and insights into coping with loss. Thematic analysis of the data revealed three main themes: “Reaction to Loss
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“The Most Fantastic Thing is Coming Here as an Individual and Going to Bed as Part of a Group”: Participants’ Experiences From a Residential Course, for People With Advanced Cancer OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-24 Henriette Søby Gärtner, Bodil H. Blix, Mette Raunkiær, Helle Timm
People who suffer from advanced cancer may experience a loss of ability to participate in everyday life and meaningful activities, challenging their sense of identity and social relations. Social support in patient-to-patient interactions and the sharing of experiences with people in similar situations may help alleviate distress. This article is based on an ethnographic field study carried out in
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How Physicians are Trained to Interact With the Dying: A Thematic Analysis of Medical Student Exposures to End-Of-Life Cases OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-23 Erin Currey, M. Margaret Fessler, Caroline Wong, Dasha Giger, Kristin Collier
Physicians-in-training feel uncomfortable coping with the grief they experience while delivering end-of-life care, and medical schools offer minimal formal curricular offerings on end of life care. Few studies have identified what experiences medical students have with death while training or what lessons they are being taught by more senior physicians at bedside. This qualitative study conducted semi-structured
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Is it True That “There are no Right or Wrong Ways to Grieve”? OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-23 Charles A. Corr
This article explores some of the implications of the often-heard saying that, “There are no right or wrong ways to grieve.” In order to do so, this article offers some reflections on the key phrases that are involved implicitly or explicitly in this advice: loss, bereavement, grief, grieving, and mourning. On that basis, this article examines a series of claims: Are there actually no right ways to
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Posttraumatic Growth and Continued Bonds in Fathers Receiving Bereavement Photography Following Perinatal Loss: A Mixed-Methods Study OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-23 Sarah Salvini, Levita D’Souza, Chiara McDowell, Kitty Vivekananda
Research exploring fathers’ experiences of using bereavement photography after perinatal loss is lacking. Using continuing bonds theory, this study aims to investigate fathers’experiences of bereavement photography and predictors of posttraumatic growth (PTG). Mixed methodology was employed with participants ( n = 29). A hierarchical regression showed that there were no significant associations between
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Evaluating the Effect of Participation in Bereavement Support Groups on Perceived Mental Well-Being and Grief Reactions OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-23 Asta B. Petursdottir, Hrund S. Thorsteinsson
The study aimed to evaluate the effect of participating in bereavement support groups on mental well-being and levels of grief and to gather information about participants´ experiences of participation. The programme consisted of six sessions over six weeks. Data were collected with the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) and the Adult Attitude to Grief scale (AAG) as well as demographic
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What do Professional Helpers Describe as Important Competence when Supporting Persons Bereaved by a Drug-Related Death OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-22 Torill Hauge Totland, Kristine Berg Titlestad, Sari Kaarina Lindeman
Bereaved persons following a drug-related death (DRD) experience significant stress, an increased risk of health-related problems, complicated grief reactions and a risk of higher mortality. Despite the support received from professional helpers being important, research has yet to examine their perspectives to understand and meet the bereaved’s needs and increase the helpers’ competence. Hence, this
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Comparing Public Perceptions of Child and Adult Grief Responses to Familial Incarceration OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-21 Amir Abu-Samaha, Elisabeth McLean, Destiny Weller, Jonathan Kelley, Adam T. Schmidt, Jonathan Singer
Children of incarcerated parents may grieve this loss, yet perceptions of their grief are understudied. Using vignettes varying by age (adult/child) and grief response (prolonged/resilient), we examined differences between perceptions of adults and children grieving parental incarceration. Participants rated grief response appropriateness, comfort providing support, and grief therapy recommendations
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The Quality of Interpersonal Relationships, Intrusive and Deliberate Rumination and Adjustment to the Death of a Spouse OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-20 Karolina Ludwikowska-Świeboda, Marcin Sekowski
The aim of the presented study was to gain a better understanding of relationships between the pre-loss quality of marriage, global attachment style, rumination, the severity of complicated grief and the level of posttraumatic growth among widowed individuals. After the researchers obtained the consent of the ethics board to conduct the study, they examined widowed individuals ( n = 152) using the
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Pathways to Resilience: Exploring Post-Traumatic Growth in the Wake of Drug-Related Deaths OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-07-20 Ducel Jean-Berluche
This review examines Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) in the aftermath of Drug-Related Deaths (DRDs) amid a public health crisis underscored by an increase in overdose fatalities. It examines grief and unique challenges confronting those bereaved by DRDs, such as stigmatization, and synthesizes existing literature to elucidate pathways toward resilience and growth. Fundamental mechanisms facilitating PTG
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The Grief Cycle: Investigating the Influence of Cycling on Grief Outcomes in Individuals who have Experienced a Bereavement OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-06-24 Jane Williams, Harriet Wingfield, Angel Marie Chater
BackgroundThere is a lack of research that investigates the influence of physical activity on grief outcomes. This research aimed to examine the influence of cycling on grief outcomes in individuals who have experienced a bereavement.MethodSemi-structured interviews with 14 participants ( n = 8 males; age M = 47.5 years) who engaged in cycling behaviour and had experienced a bereavement. Reflexive
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Supporting Bereaved Family Members: A Qualitative Interview Study on the Experience of Bereavement Counselling by the Bereavement Network Lower Saxony (BNLS) in Germany for Parents Who Have Lost Children or Teenagers OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-06-22 Rebecca F. Kruse, Stephanie Stiel, Sven Schwabe
The “Trauer Netzwerk Niedersachsen” („Bereavement Network Lower Saxony“ (BNLS)) aims at supporting families after the loss of a child or teenager due to various causes. This study aims to describe the experiences of bereaved family members with the BNLS counsellors. 12 semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents who had received or were currently receiving BNLS counselling. The interviews
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Suicidal Ideation Among Kenyan Youth: A Qualitative Analysis of Online Life Stories OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-06-21 Benjamin Gitonga, Sheila Muthoni
This study examines the experiences of suicidal ideation among Kenyan youth through a qualitative analysis of online narratives, a sample that comprised 15 young individuals aged 17–26 who shared their stories on online platforms. Employing Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the study highlights complex interactions of societal pressures, mental health challenges, and identity struggles
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Changes in the Perception of Cemeteries as Public Spaces – Swiss Cemetery Visitors From 2002 to 2021 OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-06-20 Harald Klingemann
Background: A process of “emptying” can be observed in Swiss cemeteries. Urn burials are increasingly preferred to traditional interments, requiring much less space. Consequently, cemeteries are gradually transforming into park-like areas, triggering debates about proactive ways to use them as public spaces, rather than mourning sites. Objectives and Method: The study presented here probes for changes
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Women's Lived Experience of Fetal Death: A Descriptive Phenomenological. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-06-08 Mehrbanoo Amirshahi,Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad,Hossien Shahdadi,Mohammadreza Firouzkouhi
Pregnancy can be associated with risk factors that may lead to fetal loss, which is a profoundly distressing event impacting the psychological well-being, family dynamics, and overall quality of life of women. The present study aimed to explore women's lived experiences of fetal death. Conducted in 2023, this study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach, utilizing purposeful sampling to interview
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Some Personal Reflections on the History and Current Status of Textbooks in the Field of Death, Dying, and Bereavement. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-06-06 Charles A Corr
This article is a contribution to recording one dimension of the history of education in the field of death, dying, and bereavement. It offers some personal reflections on the history and current status of textbooks in our field that have been or are currently published in North America. The scope of this reflection looks back on the earliest textbooks in this field published in the 1960s and 1970s
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Prolonged Grief Disorder, but Not Death From COVID-19, Elicits Public Stigma: A Vignette-Based Experiment. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-06-04 Tamara Zammit,Vincent O Mancini,Carly Reid,Jonathan Singer,Lexy Staniland,Lauren J Breen
We investigated the effects of cause of death (COVID-19 with an underlying medical condition vs. without) and prolonged grief disorder status (PGD present or absent) on participants' reported public stigma towards the bereaved. Participants (N = 304, 66% women; Mage = 39.39 years) were randomly assigned to read one of four vignettes describing a bereaved man. Participants completed stigma measures
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New Psychometric Evidence of the Grief Impairment Scale (GIS) in People Who Have Experienced the Death of a Loved One From a Network Psychometric Approach in Two Latin American Countries OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-31 Tomás Caycho-Rodríguez, Aaron Travezaño-Cabrera, José Ventura-León, Lindsey W. Vilca, Jonatan Baños-Chaparro, Daniel E. Yupanqui-Lorenzo, Pablo D. Valencia, Julio Torales, Carlos Carbajal-León, Marlon Elías Lobos-Rivera, Mario Reyes-Bossio, Iván Barrios, Freddy Jaimes-Alvarez, Sherman A. Lee
This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Grief Impairment Scale (GIS) using a network psychometric model. A total of 1048 individuals from Peru and El Salvador participated. A network psychometric model was used to determine internal structure, reliability, and cross-country invariance. The results indicate that the GIS items were grouped into a single network structure through
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Undergraduate Students’ Awareness of and Beliefs About Unusual End-of-Life Phenomena OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-30 Stephen Claxton-Oldfield, Sara MacEachern
One hundred and forty undergraduate students responded to an online survey investigating their awareness of and beliefs about 12 unusual end-of-life phenomena (EOLP). Three quarters or more of the students had heard about the following EOLP: deathbed visions (75%), after-death communications (84%), near-death experiences (86%), and dying people choosing their time of death (88%). Students were least
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Surviving after the Death of a Spouse: A Phenomenological Study of Young and Low-Income Mothers in Turkey OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-29 Bircan Ergün-Başak
The aim of this study is to examine psychosocial adjustment of low-income mothers who lost their spouses at a young age. The study was conducted using a qualitative research method with a phenomenological approach. The data was collected through focus group interviews. Thirteen women between the ages of 26 and 43 participated in the study. In this study, manifest content analysis was carried out with
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Relationship Between Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Death Anxiety, and Insomnia in Adults After the Earthquake OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-24 Necmettin Çiftci, Metin Yildiz, Mehmet Uçar
This study aimed to determine the relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder, death anxiety, and insomnia in adults after the earthquake. This study, designed in a relational-cross-sectional-descriptive model, was conducted with 624 adult individuals living in a province affected by the earthquake that occurred in Turkey on February 6, 2023. The study data were collected using a personal information
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Suicide Risk Among Medical Students Associated With Loneliness, Burnout, and Depressive Symptoms OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-23 Mor Klugman, Or Cohen Ben Simon, Dafna Kleinhendler-Lustig, Sari Bourla, Yari Gvion, Sami Hamdan
Medical students face elevated risks of depression and suicide due to rigorous training demands. However, comparative research between medical and non-medical students is limited, hindering understanding of specific risks. This study compared 337 students (89 medical) on suicide risk, depression, perfectionism, burnout, loneliness, and internet addiction. Medical students showed significantly higher
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Exploring Post-Traumatic Growth Among Young Adults Coping With Parental Loss: The Role of Resilience and of Willingness to Seek Psychological Help OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (IF 1.5) Pub Date : 2024-05-22 Zohar Elyoseph, Yossi Levi-Belz, Yoav Shimoni, Inbar Levkovich
This study examined the roles of resilience and willingness to seek psychological help in influencing Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG) among 173 emerging adults who experienced parental loss during their school years. A positive relationship was found between resilience, the willingness to seek psychological help, and PTG. Participants who endured loss over five years prior manifested increased PTG (New-Possibilities