The role of continuing bonds in coping with grief: overview and future directions.

The existing empirical literature depicts a complex picture of the role that continuing bonds play in coping with bereavement, with contradictory findings emerging across studies. This article presents an overview of continuing bonds research and highlights several areas ripe for exploration. First, definitional issues are identified.

The spiritual struggle of anger toward God: a study with family members of hospice patients.

Introduction: Anger toward God is a common form of spiritual struggle, one that people often experience when they see God as responsible for severe harm or suffering. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence, correlates, and preferred coping strategies associated with anger toward God among family members of hospice patients.

Methods: Teams from a large hospice in the midwestern United States distributed surveys, one per household, to family members of home-care patients.

Forgiveness, depressive symptoms, and communication at the end of life: a study with family members of hospice patients.

Introduction: Forgiveness has begun to receive empirical attention in end-of-life contexts, but primarily among patients. This study examined forgiveness issues and communication priorities among family members of hospice patients.

Methods: Surveys were distributed to family members of home-care patients in a large not-for-profit hospice in the Great Lakes region of the United States.