Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept of Marriage, Family, and Human Development, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-39).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Tulsa, 1994. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 110-124).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Concordia Seminary, 1997. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-157).

Thesis (M.A.)--Eastern Illinois University, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-62).

Thesis (M.S.)--Brigham Young University. Dept. of Marriage and Family Therapy, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 31-37).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1992. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 113-114).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2000. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 337-347). Available also in a digital version from Dissertation Abstracts.

Bereavement is one of the most painful experiences in one’s life, and guilt is one of the various emotions associated with it. Guilt is widely reported by bereaved people, but it is not yet sufficiently understood by researchers. There is a lack of convergence in conceptualizing guilt, and no valid measurement exists to assess this important construct in grief. Meanwhile, this emotion is particularly significant in Chinese adult given the cultural value of filial piety. Therefore, this thesis aims to fill this gap and enhance understanding of the nature and consequences of bereavement guilt in Chinese adult children. This sequential mixed method research comprises three parts. To better define and conceptualize bereavement guilt, 16 bereaved adult children were interviewed in the first study about their subjective experience of guilt. Their narratives illustrated the content and feelings of bereavement guilt. It suggested that guilt was based on various evaluations of their behaviors, which failed to meet their inner standards or expectations. It also revealed that they felt guilt for contributing to the death, for hurting the deceased, and for not paying enough back to the parent. Those thoughts were evidently accompanied by distressful feelings. In study two, the Bereavement Guilt Scale (BGS) was developed based on findings in study one. It was then validated with survey data collected from 873 bereaved adult children. The scale comprises five factors: (1) responsibility towards the death, (2) hurting the deceased, (3) survivor guilt, (4) indebtedness guilt and (5) guilt feelings. It was proved to have good dimensionality and construct validity, satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Study three aimed to build the model for bereavement guilt, exploring its prevalence, predictors and relationship with complicated grief. The same data set in study two was analyzed and the results revealed various occurrence rates for different subtypes of bereavement guilt. The most common type is indebtedness guilt (81%), followed by guilt feelings (70%), responsibility for the death (37%), survivor guilt (27%) and guilt about hurting the deceased (23%). It was also revealed that guilt is more commonly experienced by people bereaved from unnatural death than natural death. Investigating a group of demographic and death-related variables simultaneously, this study found that different types of guilt have distinct predictors, but that three risk factors predicted most of them. These are the adult children being of a younger age, losing a mother, and low psychological preparation for the death. Finally, a strong association between guilt and complicated grief was established by the data. The relationship between complicated grief and guilt was stronger than with demographic variables, death-related variables, depression and anxiety. Such association remains significant even when controlling for these variables. This thesis proposes a multidimensional conceptualization of bereavement guilt and has developed a valid measurement tool. It builds a preliminary model of risk factors, bereavement guilt and health outcomes in bereavement. The implications and limitations are also discussed. / published_or_final_version / Social Work and Social Administration / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

This study explored the cultural knowledge of the adult who identified, through remembrances and behavior, their childhood experiences with an alcoholic parent. Ethnographic interviews were conducted with four adult children of an alcoholic father. Data were analyzed for relevant domains of meaning and cultural themes. Four cultural themes were identified from the data: (1) A lot of negative things happen when you have an alcoholic parent, (2) There are ways to take care of an alcoholic, (3) You learn to live with secrecy, (4) We sometimes make the same mistakes but we try not to. Recommendations for nursing practice based on the experiences of the adult child of an alcoholic are presented as well as recommendations for further research.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1991. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [100]-107).