title: "I was just trying to stick it out until I realized that I couldn't": a phenomenological investigation of support seeking among older adults with complicated grief.
abstract: Complicated Grief (CG) is a prolonged, impairing mental health condition affecting about 7% of the bereaved. CG may be especially prevalent in older adults. Though evidence-based treatments for CG have been developed, little is known about support-seeking in older adults with CG. This study used the descriptive phenomenological approach to explore the CG support-seeking process. In-depth interviews were conducted with 8 CG-positive older adults who had completed participation in a randomized clinical trial of CG treatment. Five primary themes arose: observing that grief was causing a great deal of distress and impairment; grief not meeting expectations of what grief "should be"; an important influence of social relationships on support-seeking; lack of effectiveness of grief support groups and/or care from mental health professionals prior to study enrollment; and strong reactions to the label of CG. Themes may hep inform efforts to engage older adults with CG in effective care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Westchester Division, Weill Cornell Medical College, White Plains, NY 10605, USA. ang2042@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ghesquiere
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D012944:Social Support; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D017805:Widowhood / Q000523:psychology*