Ambiguous Loss in a Non‐Western Context: Families of the Disappeared in Postconflict Nepal

Abstract

Ambiguous loss has become a standard theory for understanding the impact of situations where the presence of a family member is subject to ambiguity. A number of studies of ambiguous loss have been made in a range of situations of ambiguity, but almost all have been firmly located within a Western cultural context. Here, ambiguous loss is explored in a different cultural context through a study of the families of persons disappeared during Nepal's decade-long Maoist insurgency. Through the use of qualitative research methods, a sample of families (n = 160) of those disappeared during the conflict has been studied to understand the impact of disappearance. The results of this study are compared with the expectations of ambiguous loss theory to test its relevance in the Nepali context.

When hope and grief intersect: Rates and risks of prolonged grief disorder among bereaved individuals and relatives of disappeared persons in Colombia

“…Without the verification of death, families often have to cope with confusion about roles in the family system (Boss, 2004). Social marginalization and a decline of social support by the community have also been reported to result from disappearance of a significant other (Quirk and Casco, 1994;Robins, 2010). It has therefore been proposed that relatives of disappeared persons experience more severe mental health consequences than do bereaved individuals (Quirk and Casco, 1994).…”

“…This belief may prevent them from achieving closure and eventually contribute to the development of prolonged grief reactions (Blaauw and Lähteenmäki, 1997). The idea that hope in the disappeared person returning is associated with increased psychological distress has been suggested elsewhere (Robins, 2010), but has not yet been empirically tested.…”

Le paysage relationnel du deuil

“…Certaines enquêtes soulignent, tout d'abord, que les significations attribuées à la disparition sont façonnées par le contexte culturel, éco-nomique et social (Robins, 2010;Tully, 1995). Les attentes de la communauté vis-à-vis des survivants et les discours entourant les disparitions, la guerre et l'expression publique des émotions -nécessairement chargés d'idéologie et influencés par les intérêts politiques (Burchianti, 2004;Ibreck, 2010;Mukta, 1997) -ont ainsi une influence majeure sur la capacité des familles concernées de faire face à la perte.…”

“…133-140). D'après Robins (2010), ce cadre théorique serait aussi applicable, à des nuances près, à d'autres cultures. Cette recherche suggère cependant que l'architecture conceptuelle développée par Pauline Boss a au moins trois limites.…”

Cognitive behavioural therapy for psychopathology in relatives of missing persons: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial

“…To begin with, the on-going uncertainty about the fate of the missing person may lead to preoccupations with his/her potential whereabouts [2, 15]. Constantly thinking about the missing person may exacerbate negative emotions, interfere with daily life tasks and lead to exhaustion [7, 15, 16]. In addition, families of the disappeared are often confronted with financial, emotional, and practical issues for which they receive little professional support [2, 15].…”