The Fundamental Paradox in the Grief Literature: A Critical Reflection

Breen, Lauren J.; O’Connor, Moira

doi:10.2190/om.55.3.c

Cited by 98 publications

(94 citation statements)

References 88 publications

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“…Overwhelmingly, the participants were clearly not complicit with the pervasive conceptualisations that construct grief narrowly as a stage-based and short-term phenomenon with pathological variants (Breen & O'Connor, 2007;CAH, 2004;Rothaupt & Becker, 2007;Wortman & Boerner, 2007). Instead, they favoured a partnership model of support where they are presented with alternatives and are able to control decision-making processes.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

“…and 'psychologised' lenses, which has resulted in the articulation and proliferation of a pervasive dominant grief discourse (Breen & O'Connor, 2007;Rothaup & Becker, 2007;Small & Hockey, 2001). In this paper we have attempted to show that, throughout the grief experience following the death of a loved one in a crash, the dominant grief discourse is privileged while the experiences of the bereaved are silenced.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Acts of Resistance: Breaking the Silence of Grief Following Traffic Crash Fatalities

Breen

O’Connor

2009

Death Studies

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 95%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Acts of Resistance: Breaking the Silence of Grief Following Traffic Crash Fatalities

Breen

O’Connor

2009

Death Studies

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“…Furthermore while there have been studies documenting the experience of grief (e.g. Arnold, Buschman Gemma, & Cushman, 2005), there appears a dearth of research on how individuals subjectively experience grief therapy (Breen & O’Connor, 2007). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Participant experiences of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing vs. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for grief: similarities and differences

Cotter

Meysner

Lee

2017

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

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Background and Objective: Previous research has used quantitative methods to assess the impact of grief therapy. However, rarely have participants been asked about how they have been affected by treatment using qualitative methods. This study sought to explore participants’ experiences of two therapeutic approaches to grief: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR). Method: Nineteen participants were randomly allocated to receive seven weekly therapy sessions of either CBT or EMDR. Approximately two weeks after completing therapy, a semi-structured interview was conducted with each participant. Interviews were transcribed and a thematic analysis was performed. Results: Participant reports common to both therapies included developments in insight, a positive shift in emotions, increased activity, improved self-confidence and a healthier mental relationship to the deceased. Participants also responded by describing experiences that were unique to each therapy. Those who completed CBT described the acquisition of emotion regulation tools and shifting from being in an ongoing state of grief to feeling that they were at a new stage in their lives. Participants who completed EMDR reported that distressing memories were less clear and felt more distant from such memories following treatment. Conclusions: Although both therapies resulted in some similar changes for participants, there were unique experiences associated with each therapy. These findings are discussed in terms of implications for the underlying key processes of each therapy and the processes of recovery in grief.

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“…The notion of anticipatory grief is accepted by many end-of-life practitioners, despite its theoretical and empirical challenges. 24,25 Currently, empirical evidence is equivocal. A pioneering review of the literature on bereavement and caregiving indicated that family caregivers adjusted relatively well to the death of the person for whom they were caring.…”

Section: Limitations To Current Understandings Of Caring and Bereavementmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of caring on post-bereavement outcome: Research gaps and practice priorities

Breen

2012

Progress in Palliative Care

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Family caregivers are the primary caregivers of family members over the course of illness.Some caregivers exhibit elevated levels of distress following the death of the person for whom they were caring. Despite the practical relevance for providing supports and services to caregivers and families, pre-and post-bereavement, the effect of caregiving on bereavement is obscured. In examining the research literature on caregiving and bereavement, three methodological limitations were identified -caregivers' perspectives on preparing for the death of the person for whom they are caring is typically not assessed; the effect of caring on post-death adjustment tends to be assessed qualitatively, cross-sectionally, and retrospectively; and there is a lack of adequate comparison groups. This paper highlights the need to address two important gaps in understanding the effects of caregiving and bereavement: (1) caregivers' understandings and experiences of the anticipating and preparing for the death of the person for whom they are caring, and (2) the relationship between caregivers' pre-death grief and distress and post-death adjustment. Caregivers relieve significant costs from the health system, and improved support, pre-and postbereavement, will continue to benefit them as well as society. Without significant research investment, palliative care services will continue to operate without a suitable evidence base to support their bereavement care efforts. The experiences and needs of family caregivers during this time are relatively welldocumented. Notwithstanding potential benefits attained from caregiving such as the strengthening their relationship with the patient, the development of new skills, and spiritual growth 8 , and an increased appreciation for life, 9 family caregivers engage in care that may be financially costly, time consuming, physically demanding, and stigma inducing, and that usually impacts negatively on their ability to engage in social and recreational activities. [10][11][12][13] Needs include practical information, 14 emotional support, 15 economic assistance and housing support, 13 improved coordination of formal care and allied services, 16 and bereavement support, 17 while outcomes when engaging in care may include symptoms of psychiatric morbidity 18 and psychological distress; 19 these needs remain largely unmet by services. 20 Despite the practical relevance for providing supports and services to family caregivers, pre-and post-bereavement, the effect of caregiving on bereavement is less clear. Keywords Caring and bereavement 4This paper summarises what is known about the effects of family caregiving on bereavement outcome, and demonstrates that this knowledge is hampered by three serious methodological limitations. The implications for future research in addressing these limitations and developing an evidence-base for bereavement support in palliative care are outlined. Limitations to Current Understandings of Caring and BereavementA recent review of the caregiving and bereavement li...

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The Fundamental Paradox in the Grief Literature: A Critical Reflection

Cited by 98 publications

References 88 publications

Acts of Resistance: Breaking the Silence of Grief Following Traffic Crash Fatalities

Acts of Resistance: Breaking the Silence of Grief Following Traffic Crash Fatalities

Participant experiences of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing vs. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for grief: similarities and differences

The effect of caring on post-bereavement outcome: Research gaps and practice priorities

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