Bereavement: Current Issues in Intervention and Prevention

Abstract

Abstract Grief experienced following the loss of a loved one is a normal and necessary process in the adaptive reintegration of the surviving individual. The health educator, in the role of death educator or bereavement counselor, can play a key role in facilitating the normal grieving process as well as identifying and referring individuals experiencing uncommon grief. The appropriateness of the intervention is dependent on the timing of intervention considering the oscillatory nature of bereavement, on the focus of skills and effect enhancement, and on the type of intervention whether individual, peer, professional, or group. Recent research findings support the need to intervene early, increase self-esteem to avoid later difficulties, the beneficial effects of self-expression, and the positive impact of constructive coping skills and feelings of personal control and competency. These findings then would guide development of the most effective bereavement education and counseling programs in the health ...