• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.10 no.3
• /
• pp.120-127
• /
• 2007

Bereavement is the state of loss resulting from death. Grief is the emotional response associated with loss, intense and acute sorrow resulting from loss. Complicated grief represent a pathological outcome involving social, physical, emotional, cognitive, spiritual morbidity. The common psychiatric disorders associated complicated grief or abnormal grief responses include clinical depression, anxiety disorders, alcohol abuse or other substance abuse, and dependence, psychotic disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Grief tasks involve a series of stage or phases following an important loss that gradually permit adjustment and recovery. Three phases of grief involve phase 1 (walking the edges), phase 2 (entering the depths), and phase 3 (reconnecting the world). For intervention to be effective they need to be individually tailored to abnormal grief reaction or unresolved grief reaction. Clear understandings of complicated grief, abnormal responses, factors increasing risk after bereavement will often enable us to prevent psychiatric disorders in bereaved patients.

• The Korean Nurse
• /
• v.31 no.2
• /
• pp.51-69
• /
• 1992

Grief that is not acknowledged and worked through may manifest itself in some emotional, mental or physical problem. In recent years much has been learned about coping with grief which the hospice program can utilize to help family members cope with their grief. This study was carried out to determine the helpfulness of the bereavement care of Severance Hospice and to learm more about the grief response of the bereaved. The tools used to collect data were an assessment form used in the bereavement program and the Grief Experience Inventory developed by Sanders and revised and translated 'by the researcher. Data was obtained from bereaved family members(54 for the final grief assessment and 39 for the grief response assessment) receiving bereavement follow-up, from July 1989 to March 1991. Results of the study were as follows: 1. Final Grief Assessment Regarding the resolution of their grief the majority of the bereaved accepted the reality of the death of their family member, while slightly more than three-quarters were able to express their feelings toward their loss. A large majority had returned to activities of daily living well or fairly well and had reinvested their energy in a person other than the deceased. In addition, the physical condition of the majority was good or fairly good. A majority of the bereaved considered the bereavement care to be helpful and almost three-quarters were not considered to be in need of more follow-up. 2. Grief Response Assessment Age was found to have a modoerately positive correlation to appetite disturbance(r=.41, P<.Ol) and loss of vigor(r=.37, P<.Ol) A moderately positive correlation was found between the number of contacts and sleep disturbance(r=2.38, P<.01) Significant differences were found between men and women in regard to guilt(t=2.38, P<.05), social isolation(t=2.44, P<.05) and depersonalization(t=2.07, P<.05) with men having the more intense grief. Significant differences were found in the grief responses of somatization(F=5.82, P<.001), physical symptoms(F=5.87, P<.OOl), appetite disturbance(F=4.40, P<.Ol), despair(3.79, P<,Ol), anger(Fp2.83, P<.05), social isolation(F=3.61, P<.05), guilt(F=3.62, P<.05) and depersonalization (F = 2.58, P <.05). In the first six of these grief responses mothers scored highest, followed by husbands and then wives, In the grief response of guilt, daughters scored highest and on the grief response of depersonalization sons scored highest. Only one grief response, that of sleep disturbance(t= -2.19, P<.05) was found to be statistically significant, with those family members who died at home having the higher scores. Based on the results of this study several suggestions are presented as follows: 1. Since unresolived grief can have a detrimental effect on the bereaved person's mental and phys. ical health it would be good for the nurse, to include questions related to death of family members and the bereaved person's response to the grief, in her nursing assessment. And in the case of unresolved grief the nurse should encourage the person to talk with a trusted friend or counselor and express their fellings of grief. 2. A study to determine the degree of resolution of the grief of those in the bereavement program could be carried out by use of the Grief Experience Inventory early in their bereavement and again 13 months after the death of their family member. 3. A comparison of the grief response of the bereaved in the bereavement program and bereaved not in the program could be carried out using the Grief Experience Inventory. 4. After bereavement programs have been started in other hospice programs it would be good to carry out a joint study of bereavement outcomes of those in the bereavement programs.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.6
• /
• pp.847-855
• /
• 2003

Purpose: This study was done to develop a bereaved family care program by identifying characteristics of a grief healing process in a child loss. Method: The subjects were five bereaved mothers who have lost their children with cancer. Data was collected with in-depth interviews using grief phase assessment tool and grief reaction assessment tool from 1, February, 2001 to 31 August, 2002. Data was analyzed on the basis of two tools. Result: Process of grief in general was as follows: evading phase was within one week - one month, confrontation phase was 5 - 12 months, and reconciliation phase was after 9 months and still going on when the study was finished. Grief reaction in five (physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual) dimensions was stabilized when the phase moved into reconciliation phase. Influencing factors were intimacy and expectation towards child, social support, personality, prior loss experience, coping style, religion, culture, family cohesion, openness of communication, and stress events. Conclusion: These results suggest that a bereaved family care program considering characteristics of Korean culture should be developed and activated.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.156-164
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing on the mental health in bereaved adults. Methods: A descriptive and correlational study was conducted in 160 adults who had experienced bereavement. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and hierarchical multiple linear regression analyses with SPSS 26.0. Results: The participants' mental health showed a positive correlation with complicated grief (r=.31, p<.001) and a negative correlation with grief and meaning reconstruction (r=-.30, p<.001). Sex, sleeping time, intimacy with the deceased, grief reaction, and grief and meaning reconstruction were significant factors influencing on the mental health. The total explanatory power of these variables was 31.8%. Conclusion: It is necessary to explore the persistent and impairing grief after experiencing bereavement. Our study findings will be fundamental evidence to develop nursing interventions to improve adult mental health dealing with bereavement and grief.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.37 no.7
• /
• pp.1119-1130
• /
• 2007

Purpose: This study was done to develop the concept of grief focusing on the process of spousal bereavement in Korea. Methods: The Hybrid model was used for analysis according to the 3 phases. An extensive literature review was done for the Theoretical phase. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 participants whose spouses died within the past 3 years in the Field phase. In the Final analytic phase, the results in the Theoretical and the Field phases were compared, analyzed, and integrated according to the process of grief. Results: The antecedent of the concept of spousal grief was spousal death. The dimensions of grief were classified to inner dimensions related to oneself, relational dimensions related to family and others, and existential dimensions related to the meaning of being. The attributes of grief were physical suffering, decline of cognitive ability, heartbreaking sorrow, expectations and conflicts of a new life, social stigma, dependence on or resentment towards God, etc. The empirical referent of grief was physical, psychological, social, and spiritual health status. The grieving progressed through 3 phases-shock-emancipation, suffering, and integration. Conclusion: Nurses should recognize the importance of their unique position as supporters for grievers, and try to assess individual characteristics and to provide tailored nursing interventions.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.602-615
• /
• 2018

Loss has been expanded to include not only death but also the change that take place in the transition of life. In addition, the rate of direct and indirect experience of death around us has increased due to natural disasters and unexpected accidents. Therefore, there is a growing demand for grief counseling and a need for professional grief counseling. The purpose of this study was to investigate the competency of grief counselors and to review on the literatures what grief counselors should be trained to improve their professional competences. Specifically, there were grief counseling theory, evaluation of grief, death education, and counselor self-care. There were suggested that how to integrate into existing counselor curriculum and introduced experiential practice. This study can be used as a basic data for encouraging the attention of grief counselor education and competency model.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.782-791
• /
• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to conceptualize and clarify a concept of "preparatory grief" in terminal cancer patients. Method: A hybrid model of concept development was applied to develop a concept of preparatory grief, which included a field study carried out in Busan, Korea. Participants of this study were 8 cancer patients. Results: On the basis of our literature, research and clinical experience, the concept of preparatory grief emerged as a complex phenomenon playing an important role in five areas; physical, emotional, interpersonal, religious, and transcendental dimensions. Two new attributes were defined through a field phase; trust of the post-mortal world and a serene state of mind. Indicators reflected attitudes of sadness, worry, regret, capability to adapt and hope. The results of preparatory grief were loss of energy and interest, emotional chaos, contemplation, taciturnity and restoration. Conclusions : Differentiating among preparatory grief and other symptoms in cancer patients is essential because of therapeutic implications. Understanding preparatory grief is necessary in order to manage cancer patients for promoting quality of life so that its application may have a positive impact on the patient's life.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.30 no.6
• /
• pp.1569-1579
• /
• 2000

The purpose of this study was to identify the level of grief experience, family hardiness and family resource for management after bereavement of a family member. The subjects of this study were 100 family members who had lost a family member from cancer within the past two years. The data was analyzed using the SPSS program for descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Duncan test, and Pearson correlation. The results were as follows. 1. The mean score for the level of grief was 2.84 $\pm$ 0.66. The mean score for the a family hardiness was 3.08 $\pm$ 0.39. The mean score for the level of family resource management was 2.70 $\pm$ 0.35. 2. The level of grief experience differed respondent's age was F=2.95, p=.02, and type of bereavement was t=2.01, p=.04. 3. The level of family hardiness was not significantly different according to respondent's and familial characteristics. 4. The level of family resource management differed according to monthly income of the family (F=3.98, p=.01). 5. There were negative correlations between grief experience and family hardiness (r= -.551, p<.001), grief experience and family resource for management (r=-.351, p<.001). Family hardiness was positively related with family resource for management (r=.709, p<.001). In conclusion, family hardiness and family resource management were identified as important variables that contributed to reduce the grief experience. Therefore, it is important to develop nursing intervention that enhances family hardiness and family resource for management for bereaved family.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.59-69
• /
• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate variables and construct paths that affect complicated grief. Methods: Participants in this cross-sectional, descriptive study were 164 bereaved spouses of cancer patients at least 12 months before the death. Data were collected from October 2016 to February 2017 using self-report structured questionnaires and were analyzed using IBM SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 20.0. Results: The variables affecting complicated grief of bereaved spouses of cancer patients were the quality of end-of-life care (${\gamma}=.15$, p<.001), preparedness for death (${\beta}=-.06$, p=.005), and coping with bereavement (${\beta}=-.24$, p<.001), whereas the quality of death and dying did not show any effects. Preparedness for death had multiple mediating effects in the relationship between the quality of end-of-life care and complicated grief (z=-2.20, p=.028), and in the relationship between the quality of end-of-life care and coping with bereavement (z=2.11, p=.035). Coping with bereavement had a mediating effect on the relationship between preparedness for death and complicated grief (z=-2.39, p=.017). Conclusion: This study revealed that preparedness for death and coping with bereavement play a prominent role in complicated grief. Therefore, it is important to help in preparing for death and enhancing coping with bereavement of spouses providing end-of-life care to cancer patients. In addition, investigating cultural differences in the relationship between the quality of end-of-life care and complicated grief is recommended.

• CELLMED
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.26.1-26.3
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this article is to argue that Korean music, Yukjabaegi (six-bit songs), helps us overcome grief. It is not untrue to say that Yukjabaegi is among the greatest types of music in Korea. This is a testament to the prominence of this statue among Han Ak (Korean music, 韓樂). Empathy is an inherent human quality involving all parts of the brain which is also linked to feelings of love. Empathy is created the moment we imagine ourselves in someone else's situation. Moreover, if empathy is good for us, the generation of empathy may actually mobilize our strength. Koreans have superior strength in overcoming grief and difficult situations by singing together. Often Koreans feel that their lives and labors are difficult, they start singing Yukjabaegi because they consider grief and anxiety wear on a person more than hard work. Listening to and singing Yukjabaegi can cheer up people who feel as limp as a rag after hard labor. Tackling reality and venting the experience via creative expression is bound to be healthy. Under a change of the rhythm pattern, Yukjabaegi thus becomes a major form of amusement for those suffering from difficult situations and comes as a true friend to share in our grief with us. Singing together via Yukjabaegi is a time to share grief. Thus, this, author believes that it is related to empathy. It helps us overcome grief by means of music therapy.