Handbook of bereavement research : consequences, coping, and care /

Understanding and coping with the shockwave that death sends through the family and community are the focus of this essential, well-written reference. International and diverse bereavement experts elucidate the nature and course of grief and offer a scientific basis for evaluation and intervention. The discussion covers theory, methods, and ethics; consequences (across the life span and for the individual); coping (basic concepts, measurement, and mechanisms); interventions in coping; and future research. The section on qualitative and quantitative measurement and ethical issues in vulnerable populations will be particularly valuable for researchers. Another of the book's particular strengths is its developmental and evolutionary perspective and the critical examination of old ideas that lack empirical support, for example stage theories. Clinicians will find evidence-based guidelines for practice in the chapters on coping and interventions: using systems theory, the author examines how a family constructs meaning during bereavement. Poignant case examples illuminate the concepts in this chapter. An excellent resource that should be on the shelf of every health care provider, bereavement scholar, or counselor, this volume will also be useful in libraries supporting extensive undergraduate or graduate programs in psychology. S. M. Valente University of Southern California