Assessment of bereavement reactions and psychological well-being among bereaving spouses as a function of gender and type of death

Pages: 222-229
Deepa P. Nagpal (P. L. Army Navy Stores, Visakhaptnam, Andhra Pradesh)

The present study aims at assessing the bereavement reactions and psychological well-being of the bereaving spouses as a function of gender and type of death (natural/unnatural). The study was conducted on 45 samples, 16 being from Andhra Pradesh and the remaining 29 from Goa. Tools for data collection included the 8 State Questionnaire, The General Health Questionnaire 28, and Personal Data Sheet. Findings of the study indicate that a significant positive correlation exists among the variables. Nature of death was found to significantly impact the bereavement reactions as well as psychological well-being. Dimensions of guilt, regression, arousal, anxiety and insomnia, and somatic symptoms showed to be consistently significant. Further, adjustment to widowhood does change as a function of nature of death, with those in the unnatural death group showing greater mal-adjustment than the natural death group. Implications of the research highlight the need to provide immediate as well as sustained therapeutic interventions to the bereaving spouses.