Loss and grief counseling as a coping mechanism of widowhood: A comparative study of widowers and widows in Meru County Kenya

Mburugu, Beatrice M.

doi:10.5897/ijpc2019.0572

Cited by 3 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 5 publications

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“…The coping strategies range from being busy, active involvement in social groups, acquisition of new skills, reflecting on the loss, prayer, chatting with the dead spouse, and holding on glorious moment spent together. However, some widows also employed denial, guilt., self-blame, fantasy, alcohol and substance use (Franscini, 1990;Chima, 2006;Mburugu, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Widowhood and Coping Strategies Used by Widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Akinyi

2023

JRSSH

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Losing a life partner can be an overwhelming and traumatic life event which forces the remaining spouse to cope not only with the painful loss but also with their new widowhood status. This study seeks to establish the coping strategies used by widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya. A mixed method research design was used in the study. The target population consisted of widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya. The sampling technique used was purposive in nature. This technique was used to get a sample of 50 widows in Kisumu East Sub County. The instruments used for data collection were questionnaires and focus group discussion. Thematic analysis and descriptive statistics were employed in data analysis, Reliability and validity check of the instruments was done to attest the degree to which items measured the indicators for which they were designed. The findings of the study show that widows in Kisumu East subcounty use both adaptive and maladaptive coping strategies to cope with widowhood stress. Adaptive coping strategies used by widows were: counseling, social support networks, engaging in business, church activities, keeping significant memoirs of the deceased while maladaptive coping strategies included denial, sex, withdrawal, and substance use. The study recommends that widows should use adaptive coping strategies to cope with widowhood. Additionally, widows should be given enough platforms, space and support in the society to share their experiences as this enhances their general wellbeing. The study also recommends that widows should be empowered on self-awareness and assertive skills to help in building their self-esteem.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Widowhood and Coping Strategies Used by Widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Akinyi

2023

JRSSH

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“…Consequently, causing unbearable burden on the widows coping resources. (Ogweno, 2010;Mburugu, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research findings postulate that compared to widowers, widows suffer a huge financial and social constraints following a spousal loss. Additionally, these studies asserts that there is similarity on the effect of widowhood on social and economic wellbeing of younger and older widows (Ahmadi & Sadeghi, 2016;Mburugu, 2020;Dabergott, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of Widowhood on Economic and Social Wellbeing of Widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Akinyi

2023

JRSSH

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The death of a husband is one of the most traumatic experiences that is accompanied by additional social and economic responsibilities. Worldwide, the rate of widowhood is on the rise and it comes with multiple social and economic roles. In Kenya, more specifically, Kisumu County, there is an alarming increase in the number of widows who have to have to contend with the additional social and economic burden due to spousal loss. The current study sought to assess the effect of widowhood on economic and social wellbeing of widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya. The study used purposive sampling to select 50 widows in Kisumu East Sub County. The research design used was quantitative and qualitative in nature. Data was gathered using questionnaires and focus group discussions. The researcher had 5 focus group discussions with the widows to extract in depth information on widows’ economic and social wellbeing. The findings report that widowhood, heightens social and economic challenges thus affecting the wellbeing of widows. The findings also show that widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, have social and economic hardships that impact on their lives. The study recommends that the government and the community should empower widows economically to help them initiate sustainable income generating projects, business and acquisition of new skills which may allow them to seek better medical care for themselves and their families. Additionally, the community and the government, should nurture and inculcate positive guidelines on social inclusivity of widows. Moreover, widows should also be sensitized on healthy ways of socially and economically integrating themselves in the society by establishing productive and sustainable social and financial welfare groups.

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“…This paper discusses the experiences and struggles of widows in caring for their children after losing their husbands who are generally providers for their families. The growing body of knowledge and research studies have, however, articulated the bereavement, grief and loss experiences of the widows upon the death of their husbands, (Bennett and Soulsby 2012;Dunn 2015;Mburugu 2020;Ndabarushimana and Dushime 2018) and have paid little attention to the lonely experience of caring for their children. This has also been overlooked by social workers in practice and yet a very significant focus area and a practice mandate (DuBois and Miley 2014).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

When the Challenges of Widowhood Extend to Childcare: Essential Considerations for Social Work Practice

Dube¹

2022

Social Sciences

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Unless widows recount their painful experiences of caring for their children, their day-to day lived challenges of childcare may be misunderstood if not totally missed by social workers in practice. This article discusses the widow’s painful experiences of caring for their children in Binga District in Zimbabwe and the critical aspects needed for consideration by social workers in practice. A qualitative research approach using a phenomenological research design was adopted to capture the lived struggles of the widows in caring for their children. Using purposive sampling, twenty-four widows participated in the in-depth interviews, with ten widows participating in individual interviews whilst fourteen widows participated in two separate focus group interviews with seven widows in each group. Data were analysed thematically with predetermined and emerging themes critically discussed and compared with existing literature. The findings showed that due to dwindling resource bases, widows are bound to fail to meet the physiological, psychosocial, economic and educational needs of their children. The article recommends deliberate and systematic social work considerations in efforts to intervene and avert the circumstances of the widows that have a negative impact on childcare.

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Loss and grief counseling as a coping mechanism of widowhood: A comparative study of widowers and widows in Meru County Kenya

Cited by 3 publications

References 5 publications

Widowhood and Coping Strategies Used by Widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Widowhood and Coping Strategies Used by Widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya

Effect of Widowhood on Economic and Social Wellbeing of Widows in Kisumu East Sub County, Kisumu County, Kenya

When the Challenges of Widowhood Extend to Childcare: Essential Considerations for Social Work Practice

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