Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The relationship between stress and coping strategies in bereavement was examined in 70 recently widowed rural black women (mean age 36.53 years). Correlations were sought between coping strategies (as measured by the Coping Strategy Indicator) and anxiety (as measured by the S-scale of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), depression (as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory), social support (as measured by the Social Support Scale) and biographical variables. Of the participants, 88.57% were at least mildly depressed, while 78.57% experienced anxiety of above average intensity. Depression scores were significantly higher for those who were unemployed than for those who had paid work. Those with an education of Standard 6 or below made significantly more use of social support-seeking strategies than those with high school and tertiary education. Those whose husbands had died suddenly made more use of problem-solving strategies, while those whose husbands had died of chronic illness made more use of social support-seeking coping strategies. Significant positive correlations were found between an avoidant coping strategy and both depression and anxiety. A significant positive correlation was found between a social support-seeking coping strategy and perceived social support. Significant negative correlations were found between both problem-solving and social support-seeking coping strategies and anxiety as well as depression scores. An avoidant coping strategy emerged as a significant positive predictor of both anxiety and depression, while problem-solving and social support-seeking coping strategies emerged as significant negative predictors of depression. A problem-solving coping strategy alone emerged as a significant negative predictor of anxiety. These findings point to the need for interventions aimed at more effective use of problemsolving and social support-seeking coping strategies, rather than avoidance, if the widowed are to effectively deal with their conjugal loss. Another implication of these findings is the importance of helping those who are undergoing bereavement to continuously re-define their social support structures for continued sustenance of social and emotional support. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die verband tussen stres en hanteringstrategieë is in 'n groep van 70 landelike swart vrouens (gemiddelde ouderdom 36.53 jaar) wat hul eggenote onlangs aan die dood afgestaan het, ondersoek. Korrelasies tussen hanteringstrategieë (gemeet deur die Coping Strategy Indicator) en angs (gemeet deur die S-skaal van die State- Trait Anxiety Inventory), depressie (gemeet deur die Beck Depression Inventory), sosiale ondersteuning (gemeet deur die Social Support Scale) en biografiese veranderlikes is ondersoek. Van die deelnemers was 88.57% minstens tot 'n ligte mate depressief, terwyl 78.57% bogemiddelde angsvlakke ervaar het. Depressietellings van werklose vroue was hoër as van diegene met 'n gesalarieerde werk. Diegene met Standerd 6 opleiding of laer het beduidend meer gebruik gemaak van sosiale ondersteuning-soekende strategieë as diegene met hoërskool en tersiêre opleiding. Diegene wie se eggenote skielik afgesterf het, het meer gebruik gemaak van probleemoplossende hanteringstrategieë terwyl diegene wie se eggenote afgesterf het as gevolg van 'n chroniese siekte, meer gebruik gemaak het van sosiale ondersteuning-soekende hanteringstrategieë. Beduidende positiewe korrelasies is aangetref tussen 'n vermydende hanteringstrategie en beide depressie en angs. 'n Beduidende positiewe korrelasie is aangetref tussen 'n sosiale ondersteuning-soekende hanteringstrategie en waargenome sosiale ondersteuning. Beduidende negatiewe korrelasies is aangetref tussen beide probleem-oplossende en sosiale ondersteuning-soekende hanteringstrategieë en angs sowel as depressie. 'n Vermydende hanteringstrategie was 'n beduidende positiewe voorspeller van beide angs en depressie, terwyl probleem-oplossende en sosiale ondersteuning-soekende hanteringstrategieë beduidende negatiewe voorspellers was van depressie. 'n Probleemoplossende hanteringstrategie was 'n beduidende negatiewe voorspellers van angs. Hierdie bevinding dui op die noodsaaklikheid van intervensies wat gemik is op die meer effektiewe gebruik van probleemoplossende en sosiale ondersteuning-soekende hanteringstrategieë, eerder as vermyding, vir die weduwee om die afsterwe van haar eggenoot effektief te kan hanteer. Nog 'n implikasie van die bevindinge is die belangrikheid daarvan om diegene wat rou te help om voortdurend hul sosiale ondersteuningstrukture te herdefinieer vir voortdurende onderhouding van sosiale en emosionele ondersteuning.

published_or_final_version / Social Work / Master / Master of Social Work

The present longitudinal study examined the effects and interactions of several variables thought to affect adjustment to conjugal bereavement. Questionnaires were administered to 147 conjugally bereaved subjects and to 46 persons bereaved of close relatives other than spouse. Independent variables included experienced competence (self-esteem, locus of control, coping self-efficacy, and prior coping strategies), impact of loss (anticipation and preventabillty of loss, centrality of relationship and life change), and perceived resources. All of the independent variables were found to be important predictors of adjustment in conjugal bereavement. However, hypothesized interactions among variables were generally not found. Experimental variables were better predictors of adjustment in conjugal bereavement than were demographic variables. Contrary to prediction, widowed subjects tended to become more lonely and showed increased bereavement adjustment difficulties over a six month period of time. However, post hoc analysis suggested that levels of adjustment do not decline over the long term in widowhood. The present study supports a view of widowhood as a multidimensional event, characterized by seemingly contradictory feelings, experiences, and behaviors.

Durante a segunda metade do século XVIII até a chegada da Família Real portuguesa ao Brasil, havia mulheres viúvas livres que compravam e vendiam bens, administravam escravos, vendiam açúcar ou café e criavam filhos na capitania do Rio de Janeiro. Nosso objetivo é estudar essas mulheres que, com a morte dos maridos, passaram a chefes de domicílio, mas continuavam mães. Para tanto, analisamos os inventários post-mortem sob a guarda do Arquivo Nacional do Rio de Janeiro e documentos relacionados ao tema no Arquivo Histórico Ultramarino. Muitas viúvas que examinamos herdaram do marido metade de tudo o que o seu casal havia conseguido amealhar nos anos que estiveram juntos. Essas mulheres adquiriram capacidade jurídica para decidir o que fazer com tudo aquilo que passou às suas mãos após a morte do esposo. Além disso, muitas delas eram tutoras de seus filhos o que lhes garantia a administração do patrimônio deles até sua maioridade e, algumas, sabiam ler e escrever. Entretanto nem todas puderam desfrutar de uma vida tranquila durante os dias que se seguiram à perda do marido. Várias delas perderam todo, ou grande parte de seu patrimônio, com o pagamento de dívidas do casal. São essas mulheres que nos propomos a examinar em nosso trabalho. / During the second half of the 18th century, until the Portuguese royal family arrival Brazil, there were free widowed women who bought and sold goods, admnistrated slaves, engaged on the sugar cane sale and other commodities trade, and raised their children in Rio de Janeiro captaincy. Our main purpose is to study these women who became household head after their husbands death, however continuing absorbed on their mothers tasks. Therefore, we analyzed the post-mortem inventories of these couples under the custody of the National Archive of Rio de Janeiro and other related sources on the Overseas Historical Archive. Many of these women we studied inherited from their husbands half of everything their couples had managed to harvest in the years they had been together. These women acquired legal capacity to decide what to do with everything that passed into their hands after the husbands\' death. Furthermore, many of these women became guardians of their husbands inheritors 6 which assured them the administration of the children heritage until they achieved the age of majority. Some of these women could also read and write. However, many of these widows were not in a position to enjoy a peaceful life after their husbands deceased because part of them lost large amounts of their inheritance by paying the couples debts. These are the free women we propose to investigate in our work.

by Cheng Bing-yee, Banny. / Questionnaire in Chinese. / Thesis (M.S.W.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1997. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 143-151). / ABSTRACT --- p.11 / Chapter ONE --- INTRODUCTION --- p.14 / Chapter TWO --- LITERATURE REVIEW --- p.18 / Chapter 2.1 --- Bereavement --- p.18 / Chapter 2.2 --- Stress --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3 --- Social support --- p.33 / Chapter 2.4 --- Quality of life --- p.43 / Chapter THREE --- THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK --- p.50 / Chapter 3.1 --- Conceptual definition of variables --- p.50 / Chapter 3.2 --- Relationship of the variables in this study --- p.54 / Chapter 3.3 --- Research questions and hypotheses of this study --- p.58 / Chapter FOUR --- METHODOLOGY --- p.60 / Chapter 4.1 --- Research design and sampling method --- p.60 / Chapter 4.2 --- Data collection operation --- p.61 / Chapter 4.3 --- Data analysis --- p.62 / Chapter 4.4 --- Measuring instrument --- p.62 / Chapter FIVE --- RESULTS --- p.67 / Chapter 5.1 --- Demographic characteristics --- p.67 / Chapter 5.2 --- Psychometric properties of the scales --- p.70 / Chapter 5.3 --- "Descriptive findings on stress of bereavement, social support, and quality of life" --- p.73 / Chapter 5.4 --- "Impact of demographic characteristics of the respondents on perceived stress, social support, and quality of life" --- p.103 / Chapter 5.5 --- "Relationships between stressor, perceived stress, social support and quality of life" --- p.106 / Chapter SIX --- DISCUSSION --- p.117 / Chapter 6.1 --- Discussion on methodology of this study --- p.117 / Chapter 6.2 --- Discussion on the results of the findings --- p.118 / Chapter 6.3 --- Limitations of the research --- p.130 / Chapter SEVEN --- CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION --- p.132 / Chapter 7.1 --- Recommendations for general practice --- p.132 / Chapter 7.2 --- Recommendations for bereavement services and program --- p.135 / Chapter 7.3 --- Further Research --- p.141

No description available.

Friends benefit both our psychological and our emotional well-being by increasing overall happiness, life satisfaction, and a positive sense of self among women. Often, however, friendships decrease in the later years. The purpose of this study is to learn more about divorced or widowed, retired women and their friendships, specifically, whether friendships changed from work to retirement. Friendships have been clearly identified by women as a significant component of retirement life. The importance of friendship increases with age, and friends have been found to buffer single women in particular from becoming isolated in retirement. The sample recruited for this study consisted of 20 single, career women who had been retired between five and ten years and who were not coresiding with another person. This study utilized in-depth, qualitative interviewing to enable participants to define themselves and their experiences. Overall, it appeared as though these women were very satisfied with retirement and considered it to be a positive experience. Even though workplace friendships had gradually been lost since retirement, this loss was considered normal and former coworkers were considered to be on different paths from the retirees. Workplace friends were often not whom the women felt closest to or socialized with preretirement; consequently this gradual drifting and loss of workplace friendships was not considered problematic. The women overall were making new friends. Various types of discord among friends were also reported. Discord had negative affects but did not necessarily cause dissolution of the friendship. Betrayal was often an incentive to immediately end a friendship; however, betrayal was uncommon. Friends played a major role in these women's lives. The emotional aspects of the women's friendships were reported to be most important. Friends helped these women feel valued and provided a substantial amount of support to one another. The findings of this study should assure those divorced or widowed women who may be nearing retirement that the adjustment to retirement need not be difficult, especially if one has supportive friends. / Graduation date: 2003

In India, the Hindu Succession Rights Act of 1956 allows the widow, the daughters, alongside the sons of the deceased senior male, to claim an equal share in familial property. By giving inheritance rights to daughters and widows, and not exclusively to sons, this Act proposes a radically different organization of the ideal patrilineal household, commonly referred to as "the Hindu joint family". The Act initiates a transformation of Hindu women's status through their rights to property, which implies the transformation of women's rights and duties in India. / Drawing on the analysis made during an extensive fieldwork period in a rural community and case studies in Pune tribunals, this thesis shows that women generally know that they have some rights to their father's and husband's property. However, for various reasons, they do not see any advantage in claiming their inheritance rights. Women often find it difficult to reconcile claiming rights with their duties as daughters (or daughters-in-law) and the social restrictions associated with widowhood. In addition, the complex relationships with the state bureaucracy often prevent them from their right to access property. In that context, before choosing a forum of justice, most women (and men) will first opt for conflict avoidance. / This socio-legal ethnography of women's succession rights, in the state of Maharashtra, is an anthropological contribution to the study of the dynamics of social cohesion in an environment where legal pluralism is itself in transition.

Ministry research project (D. Min.)--Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Ministry Degree. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-168).

Ministry research project (D. Min.)--Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2004. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Ministry Degree. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-168).