Bereavement intervention is subsumed within palliative programme philosophy which encompasses the family as the unit of care and provides a continuum of care that extends beyond the death of a family member. There is no available research on the effect of post-bereavement intervention within palliative programming, and very limited research exists that evaluates the effect of intervention on bereavement outcome. This exploratory study endeavors to differentiate bereavement outcome between two populations having palliative/hospice program support but only one choosing to participate in bereavement follow-up. A mixed strategy of quantitative and grounded theory approaches provided an expanded analysis through which meaning structures and time/process parameters for grieving individuals were explored. The study extended from idiosyncratic data into the realm of larger systemic interactions. An important finding was that the amount of time for preparation for the death of a family member is crucial. Other mitigating factors influencing the grief outcome were social support, network viability, and age. / Arts, Faculty of / Social Work, School of / Graduate

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Sciences

Thesis (MSocialWork)--Stellenbosch University, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of the study was to establish guidelines for ethnic-sensitive bereavement counselling with Xhosa speaking people. These guidelines are specifically aimed at Social Workers who do bereavement counselling with Xhosa speaking people. In order to formulate the guidelines, both literature review and empirical studies were undertaken. The literature review consists of two chapters. In the first chapter the ethnicsensitive perspective and bereavement counselling models are discussed and attention is given to the integration of the ethnic-sensitive perspective with bereavement counselling models. The second chapter deals with death and bereavement in the Xhosa culture, the role of the Social Worker as bereavement counsellor and the knowledge, values and skills required to do bereavement counselling. Through the literature review it was established that specific knowledge of a Xhosa speaking person's bereavement process is essential for any Social Worker who wishes to do ethnic-sensitive bereavement counselling with a Xhosa speaking person. Skills and values must be tailored to the needs of the Xhosa speaking person in bereavement. During the literature review it also became clear that successful ethnic-sensitive bereavement counselling can only be done if the Social Worker is totally knowledgeable about hislher own experiences and attitudes in respect of the bereavement process as well as in respect of another culture, for example the Xhosa culture. The empirical study was done to establish the needs of Xhosa speaking people in respect of bereavement counselling. The respondents consisted of Xhosa speaking individuals who were in the bereavement process. The measurement instrument consisted of a questionnaire with quantitative and qualitative questions and these were completed by ten respondents. The sample of ten respondents were selected from amongst respondents who were available and willing to participate in the research. The findings of the empirical study pointed to the unique needs of Xhosa speaking people which must be considered during bereavement counselling with them. It was also confirmed that a Social Worker required specific knowledge of Xhosa speaking people's bereavement process in order to deliver ethnic-sensitive bereavement counselling. The finding establishes clear guidelines for Social Workers doing ethnic-sensitive bereavement counselling with Xhosa speaking people. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van die studie was om riglyne vir etnies-sensitiewe rouberaad met Xhosa-sprekende persone daar te stel. Die riglyne is spesifiek gerig op maatskaplike werkers wat rouberaad met Xhosa-sprekende persone doen. Ten einde die riglyne te formuleer is 'n literatuurstudie en 'n empiriese studie gedoen. Die literatuurstudie bestaan uit twee hoofstukke. In die eerste hoofstuk is die etnies-sensitiewe perspektief en rouberaad modelle bespreek, daar is ook aandag gegee aan die integrering van die etnies-sensitiewe perspektief met die rouberaad modelle. Die tweede hoofstuk handel oor dood en rou in die Xhosa-kultuur; die rol van die maatskaplike werker as rouberader en die kennis, waardes en vaardighede wat benodig word om rouberaad te doen. Met die literatuurstudie is vasgestel dat 'n maatskaplike werker wat etnies-sensitiewe rouberaad met 'n Xhosa-sprekende persoon wil doen, spesifieke kennis van die Xhosa-sprekende persoon se rouproses moet hê. Vaardighede en waardes moet ook aangepas word by die behoeftes van die Xhosa-sprekende persoon in rou. In die literatuurstudie het dit ook duidelik na vore gekom dat suksesvolle etnies-sensitiewe rouberaad slegs gedoen kan word indien die maatskaplike werker deeglike kennis dra van sy/haar eie ervaringe en houdings ten opsigte van die rouproses en ten opsigte van 'n ander kultuur, byvoorbeeld die Xhosa-kultuur. 'n Empiriese studie is gedoen om Xhosa-sprekende persone se behoeftes ten opsigte van rouberaad te bepaal. Die respondente het bestaan uit Xhosa-sprekende persone wat in 'n rouproses was. 'n Vraelys met kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe vrae is as meetinstrument gebruik, en is deur tien respondente voltooi. Die steekproef van tien respondente is verkry deur doelbewuste seleksie, van respondente wat bereidwillig en beskikbaar vir die navorsing was. Die bevindinge van die empiriese studie het aangedui dat Xhosa-sprekend persone unieke behoeftes het wat in ag geneem moet word tydens rouberaad. Daar is bevestig dat dit vir 'n maatskaplike werker nodig is om spesifieke kennis van die Xhosa-sprekende persoon se rouproses te hê, ten einde etnies-sensitiewe rouberaad te lewer. Die bevindinge lig duidelike riglyne vir maatskaplike werkers by etnies-sensitiewe rouberaad met Xhosa-sprekende persone uit.