Bereavement coping self-efficacy in cancer widows

This study applied social cognitive theory to help explain the differential outcomes observed in conjugal bereavement. Specifically, a measure of bere avement coping self-efficacy was created and relationships tested with psyc hological, spiritual, and physical health outcomes. One hundred and one wom en whose husbands had died from cancer within the last year served as parti cipants. Mean age of this relatively well-educated, predominately Caucasian sample was 54 years old. Median time since death was between 6 months and a year. Results supported the hypotheses that bereavement coping self-effic acy was a significant predictor of emotional distress, psychological well-b eing, spiritual well-being, and physical health perceptions after controlli ng for several other important factors. Theoretical and clinical ramificati ons of those findings are discussed.