Bereavement and Health: The Psychological and Physical Consequences of Partner Loss

Bereavement and Health offers the first comprehensive review of what is known about the impact of bereavement on surviving partners. Drawing on the work of psychologists, sociologists, epidemiologists, and psychiatrists, the authors offer a theoretically coherent perspective focused on conjugal love. After thoroughly discussing different stress and depression models of bereavement, they present their own theoretical approach, emphasizing social contacts and the interpersonal nature of grief. The psychological and medical consequences of grief are then examined. In evaluating their relevant findings, they consider important methodological issues that often have been neglected in research on bereavement. The Stroebes' combination of theoretical integrtion and methodological rigor will make Bereavement and Health a standard text for years to come.