Loss is an inevitable human experience. How each individual reacts to loss may be affected by various factors among these is ones attachment style. The present studies examine the ultimate form of loss, the death of a significant attachment relationship in ones life. Specifically, the research focuses on how people respond to and cope with the death of an attachment figure. In so doing, the relationship between grief and attachment theory is discussed and an integrated model of grief and attachment is proposed, which accounts for various differences in how individuals respond to the death of an attachment figure in adulthood.<p> Study 1 examined the notion that in order to maintain an ongoing relationship with a deceased person and engage in behaviours that maintain this relationship, one must have had a close relationship to the deceased prior to his or her death. Seventy-three undergraduate students who reported having experienced the death of someone they knew were recruited to complete the online survey. This study utilized a measure specifically designed for the present research, the Ongoing Relationship Scale (Waskowic & Chartier, 2006), to demonstrate the necessity of a close relationship in order to engage in behaviours that maintain an ongoing relationship with the deceased.<p> The ORS was used to distinguish between whether one perceived engaging in ongoing behaviours with the deceased attachment figure as positive or negative, that is, whether engaging in certain behaviours brought an individual comfort or discomfort. The findings showed that those who identified themselves as having had a closer relationship to the deceased were more likely to engage in behaviours consistent with maintaining an ongoing relationship; whereas those who did not report having had a close relationship to the deceased were less likely to do so. Preliminary psychometric data for the ORS demonstrated good reliability. Convergent and discriminant validity for the measure are also provided.<p> Study 2 extends the findings from the first study by exploring a specific type of close relationship, the attachment relationship, and how one copes with the grief upon the death of the attachment figure. One hundred and ninety three participants who experienced the death of either a partner or parent were recruited to participate in the study. Participants were asked to complete a survey containing measures of attachment style, relationship closeness, grief, coping with the loss, interpersonal dependency, ongoing relationship with the deceased, and resilience. Utilizing Stroebe, Schut, and Stroebes (2005) Dual Processing Model and OLeary and Ickovicss (1995) Outcome of Challenge Model the differences in coping with the death of an attachment figure were explored based on ones type of attachment. Based on the findings from the present research that there are differences between the four types of attachment (i.e., secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing) in how each copes with the death of a significant attachment figure, a new comprehensive model of grief, which integrates previous theories within an attachment theoretical framework is offered. This new model, referred to as the Grief Attachment Model, accounts for observed differences in the way people cope with the death of a significant attachment figure in their lives, and suggests that researchers focus on the attachment relationship to explain variability in a persons grief response.<p> The results of Study 2 provide support for this new integrated model and encourage others to consider using attachment theory, and its theoretical speculations, for how individuals with different attachment styles (i.e., secure, preoccupied, fearful, and dismissing) will respond to the death of an attachment figure in adulthood.<p> The present studies findings advance our understanding of the relationship between attachment theory and grief in that they go beyond present theory and provide empirical data for the current theoretical assertions. Further, the findings are reported in regards to specific attachment styles, rather than the secure versus insecure distinction that has been more commonly utilized when conducting research on attachment style differences. Implications and directions for future research are also proposed.

Thesis (doctoral)--Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität zu Münster in Westfalen, 1930. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. [1-3]).

Thesis--PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M. Div.)--St. Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary, 2000. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 40-43).

Thesis (Th. M.)--Regent College, 1999. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 203-217).

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of History, 2003. / Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains ii, 54 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 50-54).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Ashland Theological Seminary, 2008. / Abstract . Includes project proposal. Description based on microfiche version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 135-140).

In this thesis we develop a new model that explains the overall grief recovery process for abusiness failure on a family group level. The model builds on, and expands the theories ofanticipatory grief as presented by Shepherd, Wiklund, and Haynie (2009) and the dual processof coping presented by Shepherd (2003). The qualitative method used for this thesiswas a multiple case study approach, with an in-depth focus. Our main findings was the importanceof aligning the entrepreneurs anticipatory grief stage with the family’s coping process,by maintaining transparent and open relationships where information could easily beexchanged. In addition we found that maintaining this transparency was often difficult forthe entrepreneur due to a series of factors, which we refer to as a “barrier to informationflow”, which include everything from stress to societal interference. Finally we proposehow our model can be applied and used to generate further knowledge and additional researchon the emotional aspects of a business failure.

Although grief is a universal experience impacting the lives of many children and adolescents each year, not much study has been afforded to this population. In addition, the concept of a continuing attachment bond (CAB) or ongoing relationship to the deceased and its role as adaptive or maladaptive in the bereavement process is in its infancy of research among adult populations and is largely unstudied among bereaved youth. This mixed-methods study attempted to bridge the gap by examining the relationship between CABs among a sample of 50 bereaved youth (ages 11-17) and their bereaved adult caregivers. In addition, the study examined the relationship between CABs and symptomatology among these dyads. Qualitative findings revealed the most common expressions of CABs among youth and adults included attempts to maintain connection or closeness to the deceased, recalling memories about or unique characteristics of the deceased, and talking about the deceased. Quantitative results indicated there was not a significant relationship between caregiver bereavement symptomatology, caregiver CAB, and youth CAB. However, a significant relationship was revealed between youth bereavement symptomatology and youth CAB. In addition, findings revealed that youth bereavement symptomatology was the strongest predictor of CABs among youth. This study's results support the use of attachment theory in bereavement practice and suggest the need for social workers to incorporate both grief symptomatology and the ongoing relationship to the deceased in assessment and intervention with bereaved youth.

Bereavement, an unavoidable event in everyone’s life, brings endless missing, grief, and suffering to people. Among all kinds of bereavement, losing a child is considered the most sorrowful and traumatizing. It is extremely difficult for parents who lose a child to recover from their deepest pain. On May 12, 2008, an earthquake, measuring 8.0 Ms, occurred in Wenchuan, Sichuan province, China. The earthquake killed more than 70,000 people and left about 20,000 missing. During the earthquake, some school buildings collapsed and as a result, hundreds of students died. Their parents experienced overwhelming bereavement. To understand what bereaved mothers experience and how they cope with bereavement after the loss of children, the author conducted this longitudinal study based on the dual process model of coping with bereavement (DPM), and applied qualitative inquiry using interpretative phenomenological analysis. In this study, the author has reported on her 4 waves of interviews with these parents, regarding how they coped with grief over 2 years. The author conducted 4 waves of in-depth, face-to-face interviews with mothers who lost their children during the Wenchuan earthquake (N= 43). The findings reveal that three levels of stresses exist in these bereaved mothers’ (BMs) grief experiences, including individual, family, and society levels. On the individual level, they experienced not only emotional distress, such as overwhelming grief, despair, and anger, but they also experienced cognitive distresses, such as regret, guilt, meaninglessness and hopelessness. On the family level, BMs experienced various stresses, such as family incompleteness, despair of their family life, and tensions with their spouses. On the society level, these BMs experienced pressure from social expectations and public opinion. They felt segregated and detached from their social networks. Life became meaningless to these BMs, resulting in suicidal thoughts. These BMs practiced a variety of coping strategies to deal with their endless grief and stresses in their daily lives. These BMs actively worked through their grief and negative emotions. They adjusted their cognition to deal with their children’s deaths, and made efforts to reconstruct their lives; through things like having another child, rebuilding their life purpose, and rebuilding relationships with others. Avoidance strategies included proactive avoidance and reactive avoidance coping. Respite was manifested in the BMs temporarily devoting themselves to other things in order to distract themselves from tremendous bereavement. This study verifies and enriches the DPM in the Chinese socio-cultural context, while indicating suggestions for social work practice and social policy. / published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy