A CONTENT AND COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF LOSS IN ADAPTIVE AND MALADAPTIVE GRIEVERS

The present study used a two-pronged approach to investigate the meani ng of loss, including a content analysis of descriptive narratives of participant stories of a death and an analysis of the Life Events Repe rtory Grid (Sewell et al., 1996). Common presentations and meanings in relation to loss are discussed. An attempt is made to understand hour a bereaved individual conceptualizes the loss of a loved one, and exi sting differences between grievers who do and do not exhibit coping di fficulties are examined. When applicable, popular notions in the liter ature concerning complicated grief reactions are investigated via repe rtory grid and content analysis findings. Both clinical implications o f the findings and areas of further research using qualitative, indivi dualistic methods are summarized.