Abstract

Few would challenge the view that the contribution made by Cruse to the welfare of the bereaved is a very important one. Much effort is put into the training of Cruse counsellors but little is known about the impact of this training. An assessment of 30 prospective counsellors by means of questionnaires and ‘clinical’ vignettes to assess their knowledge of and attitudes to various matters pertaining to grief and bereavement is reported. While the results are encouraging In many respects, they also highlight areas of ignorance and bias which seem resistant to the influence of training.

Highlights

  • Cruse counsellors but little is known about the impact of this training

  • Space limits the presentation of the data to a distillate of some of the more salient findings, but fuller details are available from the senior author

  • Some reassurance can be derived from the finding that even before their training these trainees displayed some sound basic knowledge of and views about bereavement and its management

Read more

Summary

The study

Thirty individuals from an intake of 32 trainees over a two year period agreed to take part in the study. The respondents included four men and 26 women; nine were widowed, 17 were married, two were single and two were divorced or separated. Before and after their course trainees completed a bereavement questionnaire (which comprised 24 Likert items on grief, mourning and bereavement) and a characteristics questionnaire in which the trainees had to evaluate the helpfulness of 15 counsellor qualities (e.g. high intelligence, gender, sombre manner and warmth). The respondents were required in each case to rate the helpfulness of 16 interventions which included giving advice, referral to a psychiatrist, the use of drugs and the expression of feelings

Findings
Counsellor characteristics
Training vignettes
Training of prospective Cruse counsellors
Full Text
Paper version not known

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.