School of Psychology, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.
Omega (Westport). 2022 Jun;85(2):268-284. doi: 10.1177/0030222820944062. Epub 2020 Jul 22.
Bereavement is a significant stressor that can affect and be affected by social support, yet there is little known about the social networks of bereaved individuals. We conducted an in-depth qualitative examination of the social networks of bereaved spouses through an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Five participants were interviewed about their social networks prior to and following bereavement. Participants described considerable changes in their social networks. They reported connecting with others who had experienced similar stressors, including via online support groups for widows/widowers, as a key strategy for re-engagement with their social worlds. The death of a spouse can precipitate the dramatic reorganization of social networks to incorporate and adapt to this crisis. Findings offer guidance for service providers to support bereaved spouses to harness existing social networks to optimize received support.
丧亲是一个重大的应激源，它既会受到社会支持的影响，也会影响社会支持，但人们对丧亲者的社会网络知之甚少。我们通过解释性现象学分析，对丧亲配偶的社会网络进行了深入的定性研究。对五名参与者进行了采访，了解他们在丧亲前后的社会网络。参与者描述了他们的社会网络发生了相当大的变化。他们报告说，与经历过类似压力源的人建立了联系，包括通过寡妇/鳏夫的在线支持小组，这是重新融入社会的一个关键策略。配偶的死亡可能会促使社会网络发生戏剧性的重组，以纳入和适应这一危机。研究结果为服务提供者提供了指导，以支持丧亲的配偶利用现有的社会网络来优化所得到的支持。
