title: Spiritual aspects of loss at the time of a partner's death from AIDS.
abstract: Spiritual phenomena were spontaneously reported in interviews of 68 of 125 recently bereaved HIV-positive and HIV-negative partners of men who died from AIDS.  Spiritual schemas involving beliefs, experiences, rituals, social support, and roles were used to help assimilate the fact of death and were appraised as sources of solace and meaning.  The relationship between spirituality and coping, mood, and physical health was examined.  Those reporting spiritual phenomena showed higher levels of depression and anxiety and lower levels of positive states of mind, used more adaptive coping strategies, and reported more physical health symptoms than those who did not report spiritual phenomena.
authors.affiliation: Center for AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Richards
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Folkman
mesh_terms: D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006117:Grief; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D012069:Religion and Psychology; D012495:San Francisco