title: Balancing engagement/detachment in AIDS-related multiple losses.
abstract: The process gay persons use to manage the multiple losses and cumulative grief from losing lovers, friends, colleagues and clients to AIDS was explored. Interviews with gay individuals (n = 19) in a large urban area in the West provided data for conceptual coding and comparative analysis. Balancing engagement and detachment was identified as the basic social-psychological process that described how gay individuals struggled to reach an optimal balance in their involvement in the needs of individuals and the community. Four conceptual categories were identified: dysfunctional engagement, functional engagement, functional detachment and dysfunctional detachment. These four categories occur within the contexts of previous life style and redefinition of personal values.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Carmack
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006716:Homosexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012945:Social Values