Families "at risk" of complicated bereavement Book Section
| Authors: | Lichtenthal, W. G.; Sweeney, C. |
| Editors: | Kissane, D. W.; Parnes, F. |
| Article/Chapter Title: | Families "at risk" of complicated bereavement |
| Title Series: | Series in Death, Dying, and Bereavement |
| Abstract: | (from the chapter) Although the loss of a family member can be profoundly painful; the majority of families find ways over time to heal and reorganize, incorporating the legacy of their lost loved one into their folklore. For some families, however, the adjustment process is hindered by pre-existing dysfunction, challenges with an individual member's reaction, or the absence of adequate family coping skills. The response to the loss can therefore become prolonged and dysfunctional; in short, it can become complicated. A family systems perspective of loss, which considers the family as the functional unit, focuses on the powerful role, that interactional processes play in impacting adjustment to the death of a family member. The term, complicated bereavement is most commonly used to describe an individual's psychopathological reaction to the loss of a loved one, which can include complications such as prolonged or delayed grief; substance abuse/dependence; or depressive, anxiety, and even psychotic disorders. At the family level, complicated bereavement refers to dysfunction in the family system, which can exist independently of any individual member's psychopathology. This chapter considers predictors of complicated bereavement reactions in the family following the loss of a loved one. Identification of families at risk for complicated bereavement permits an opportunity for determining when preventive and treatment interventions are warranted and when a family's existing coping skills should be trusted to allow for natural resilience. After reviewing the empirical literature on risk factors, we discuss ways to harness family involvement early on to reduce the potential for dysfunction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved). |
| Keywords: | death; resilience; at risk families; psychopathology; complicated bereavement; coping skills; family involvement |
| Book Title: | Bereavement Care for Families |
| ISBN: | 978-0-415-63737-4 |
| Publisher: | Routledge |
| Publication Place: | New York, NY |
| Date Published: | 2014-01-01 |
| Start Page: | 249 |
| End Page: | 265 |
| Language: | English |
| ACCESSION: | Book: 2014-02363-017 |
| PROVIDER: | Ovid Technologies |
| PROVIDER: | psycinfo |
| DOI/URL: | |
| Notes: | Book Chapter: 17 -- xxiii, 295 -- Source: PsycINFO |
MSK Authors
-
119Lichtenthal -
17Sweeney
Related MSK Work