title: Connecting and disconnecting: bereavement experiences of six mothers whose sons died of AIDS.
abstract: The bereavement experiences of 6 mothers whose sons died of AIDS-related complications were identified. Interviews with these women provided data for grounded-theory analysis. Two basic social processes were identified: Connecting and Disconnecting. Connecting included support, rituals, transitions, and gathering mementos, and Disconnecting included accepting the death, performing death-related tasks, and letting go. Special considerations for mothers of sons who have died of AIDS are discussed.
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Longman
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001601:Bereavement; D003643:Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research