Using 35 Taiwanese widows as examples, the author argues that interpretations of adaptation to spousal death must be made within a cultural context. The process of adaptation associated with spousal death is analyzed in light of data collected from personal interviews, support group discussions, diary entries, and self-narratives. Results indicate that Taiwanese widows incorporate several dynamic processes into their meaning constructions and gradual modification of personal selves. These include questioning, reconstructing the past, comparison, adopting new meaning, and getting used to it. The authors describe how adaptation for Taiwanese widows differs significantly from Western models.
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