Record Details

Harvard Bereavement Study, 1965-1966

Harvard Dataverse (Africa Rice Center, Bioversity International, CCAFS, CIAT, IFPRI, IRRI and WorldFish)

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Field Value
 
Title Harvard Bereavement Study, 1965-1966
 
Identifier https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/DCJ1QV
 
Creator Weiss, Robert S.
Murray, Parkes, C.
 
Publisher Harvard Dataverse
 
Description This longitudinal study was designed to explore how bereavement affects the emotional and social lives of those who have lost a spouse and to examine the course of recovery from bereavement and the social or psychological factors that facilitate or impede that recovery.




The participants were Boston widows and widowers under the age of 45 whose spouses had died of natural causes (not homicide or suicide) during 1965 and 1966. Participants were interviewed approximately 3 weeks, 8 weeks, 13 months, and 2 to 4 years after the loss of the spouse. One hundred-three participants were interviewed at least once. Forty-eight widows and 20 widowers completed the first three interviews; 37 widows and 14 widowers had follow-up interviews in 1969. Of the longitudinal participants, 24% were African American, and 58% were Catholic.




The two-hour open-ended interviews were designed to elicit information regarding reactions to the psychic trauma of bereavement, role adjustments, coping patterns, and the recovery process. The main topics covered included details of the circumstances of the death, reactions of the subject and of others, management of ensuing problems, financial situation, social life, religion, family life, and future plans. A lengthy health questionnaire was also administered to the subjects.



The Murray Research Archive holds completed health questionnaires, and transcripts of all interviews as well as stenorette tapes of the interviews.



Audio Data Availability Note: This study contains audio data that have been digitized. There are 299 audio files available.
 
Subject Social Sciences
 
Type longitudinal, field study