Following the death of a family member, the mourners' experiences of grief are inevitably influenced by and, in turn, influence the experiences of their relatives. Therapy should apply a model which takes this interactive process into account. A systems approach can fulfil this requirement in certain cases. Three case histories are provided to illustrate the potential effectiveness of a systems-oriented intervention. The questions still remain as to when the model is optimally applied, and whether it has a role in preventive psychiatry.
References
1.
RaphaelB. The anatomy of bereavement. New York: Basic Books, 1983.
2.
VollmanRGanzertAPicherLWilliamsW. The reactions of family systems to sudden and unexpected death. Omega1971; 2: 101–106.
3.
LiebermanSBlackD. Loss, mourning and grief. In TovimBen EBarnesGCooklinA, eds. Complementary frameworks of theory and practice. London: Grune and Stratton, 1982: 373–387.
4.
FreudS. Mourning and melancholia. Standard editionVol 14. London: Hogarth, 1957.
5.
LindemannE. Symptomatology and management of acute grief. American Journal of Psychiatry1944; 101: 141–148.
6.
ParkesC M. Bereavement: Studies of grief in adult life. London: Tavistock, 1972.
7.
Selvini-PalazzoliMCecchinGPrataGBoscoloL. Paradox and counter paradox. New York: Jason Aronson, 1978.
8.
LargeT. Some aspects of loneliness in families. Family Process1989; 28: 25–35.
9.
VaillantG. Adaptation to life. Boston: Little, Brown, 1977.
10.
MaddisonD CWalkerW L. Factors affecting the outcome of conjugal bereavement. British Journal of Psychiatry1967, 13: 1057–1067.
11.
MaddisonD C. The relevance of conjugal bereavement for preventive psychiatry. British Journal of Medical Psychology1968; 41: 223–233.
12.
RaphaelB. Preventative intervention with the recently bereaved. Archives of General Psychiatry1977; 34: 1450–1454.
13.
ClaytonP J. The sequelae and non-sequelae of conjugal bereavement. American Journal of Psychiatry1979; 136: 1530–1534.
14.
MawsonDMarksI MRammLSternR. Guided mourning for morbid grief: a controlled study. British Journal of Psychiatry1981; 138: 185–193.
15.
HorowitzMMarmarCWeissDde WittNRosenbaumR. Brief psychotherapy of bereavement reactions. Archives of General Psychiatry1984; 41: 438–448.
16.
ShanfieldSSwainB. Death of adult children in traffic accidents. In Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease1984; 172: 533–538.
17.
van EerdeweghMClaytonPvan EerdenweghP. The bereaved child: variables influencing early psychopathology. British Journal of Psychiatry1985; 147: 188–194.
18.
Bowlby-WestL. The impact of death on the family system. Journal of Family Therapy1983, 5: 279–294.
19.
GelcerE. Mourning is a family affair. Family Process1983; 22: 506–516.
20.
KostenTJacobsSKaslS. Terminal illness, bereavement, and the family. In TurkDKernsR, eds. Health, illness and families. New York: Wiley, 1985, 311–337.
21.
RynearsonE K. Psychotherapy of pathologic grief. Revisions and limitations. Psychiatric Clinics of North America1987; 10: 487–499.
22.
EngelG. Is grief a disease?Psychosomatic Medicine1961; 23: 18–23.
23.
CaplanG. Principles of preventive psychiatry. New York: Basic Books, 1964.
24.
JensenGWallaceJ. Family mourning process. Family Process1967; 6: 56–66.
25.
BerkowitzD. On the reclaiming of denied affects in family therapy. Family Process1977; 16: 495–501.
26.
RosenthalP. Short-term family therapy and pathological grief resolution with children and adolescents. Family Process1980; 19: 151–159.
27.
WilliamsWPolakP. Follow-up research in primary prevention: A model of adjustment in acute grief. Journal of Clinical Psychology1979; 35: 35–45.
28.
BlackDUrbanowiczM. Family intervention with bereaved children. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry1987; 28: 467–476.
29.
MaddisonD. The relevance of conjugal bereavement for preventive psychiatry. British Journal of Medical Psychology1968; 41: 223–233.
30.
ZisookSSchucterSLyonsL. Predictors of psychological reactions during the early stages of widowhood. Psychiatric Clinics of North America1987; 10: 355–368.
