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Death of a student: The responses of special education personnel

The responses of special education to the death of their students were examined. An ethnographic study was conducted at a center for pre-kindergarten children with handicaps. Staff members were interviewed about their emotional and functional responses to student death. Previous experiences with death and belief systems were also explored. / It was found that staff experience deep feelings of grief and loss at the death of a student. Analysis found that the staff coped with the loss provided that a support system (formal or informal) existed, staff had a good relationship with the parent, and staff had access to death rituals. / The hypothesis was developed that coping with death takes place if there exists a feeling of control. Components of control were described as empowerment, action, effecting change, recognition, and endowing. Expressed needs of staff and this hypothesis were used to generate intervention strategies. Implications for further research were examined and specific suggestions were made for implementation. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 49-12, Section: A, page: 3686. / Major Professor: Pearl E. Tait. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1988.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77910
ContributorsWard, Maryanne Braidwood., Florida State University
Source SetsFlorida State University
LanguageEnglish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeText
Format179 p.
RightsOn campus use only.
RelationDissertation Abstracts International

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