TY - JOUR
T1 - Parental grief in three societies: networks and religion as social supports in mourning
AU - Hass, Jeffrey
AU - Walter, Tony
PY - 2007
Y1 - 2007
N2 - How do people respond to the grief of parents over the death of their infant child? This article documents the experience of one of the authors, an American married to a Russian whose child died in England. Responses to this death by friends, colleagues and family in the USA, England, and two cities in Russia varied considerably in terms of depth and degree of engagement (emotional engagement, respect, or distance and avoidance). What factors underlie these varied responses? Two are identified, one structural, the other cultural: the strength of the social ties within social networks, and religiosity as historically sedimented within a culture. The degree of engagement is correlated with network form; but the content of engagement depends on religiosity.
AB - How do people respond to the grief of parents over the death of their infant child? This article documents the experience of one of the authors, an American married to a Russian whose child died in England. Responses to this death by friends, colleagues and family in the USA, England, and two cities in Russia varied considerably in terms of depth and degree of engagement (emotional engagement, respect, or distance and avoidance). What factors underlie these varied responses? Two are identified, one structural, the other cultural: the strength of the social ties within social networks, and religiosity as historically sedimented within a culture. The degree of engagement is correlated with network form; but the content of engagement depends on religiosity.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.2190/023P-2J03-8511-561R
U2 - 10.2190/023P-2J03-8511-561R
DO - 10.2190/023P-2J03-8511-561R
M3 - Article
SN - 0030-2228
VL - 54
SP - 179
EP - 198
JO - Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying
JF - Omega: The Journal of Death and Dying
IS - 3
ER -