There is conceptual and empirical overlap between the concepts of loneliness and social support, but results suggest that loneliness following widowhood cannot be remedied by interventions aimed only at increasing social support. Social support, especially that from friends, appears to be most effective if it is readily accessible and allows the newly bereaved an opportunity to express him/herself.

We investigated if an intervention based on the dual process model (vs. traditional bereavement support) enhanced oscillation between loss- and restoration-oriented (LO/RO) coping of recently bereaved (2–6 months) spouses/partners. Participants were followed over 12 months. We found an increased emphasis over time on RO coping, particularly for women and those who were younger; however, no treatment effect was detected. Although patterns in the data are consistent with the model, we conclude that it is difficult for interventions to modify LO, RO and oscillation unless there is sufficient intervention dosage and tailored to those exclusively engaged in one process.

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