Death studies
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Biography Historical Article
Suicide and creativity: the case of Sylvia Plath.
This article explores the idea that although much can be learned by viewing Sylvia Plath's poetry as an expression of her thinking and affect, additional insights are afforded by reversing the typical direction of effect and by viewing Plath's affect, and in particular her depression, as a result of her writing. Consistent with this interpretation is Plath's huge investment in writing. This may have contributed to the sensitivity that predisposed her to stress and depression. This perspective is tied to the existing creativity literature and interwoven and contrasted with existing descriptions of Plath's work and tragic death.
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This article makes explicit the implicit links among chronic grief, psychological stress, physiological functioning, and treatment via biofeedback and relaxation training. A brief review of recent literature shows the connections among these areas, and from these connections emerges a simple model describing the interactions of chronic grief and psychological stress with the physiology of the bereaved. ⋯ A brief discussion of emotional aspects of chronic grief follows. Finally, a specific treatment modality--relaxation training with biofeedback assistance and desensitization--is applied to this model as well as to the emotional dimension, and the benefits thereof are discussed.
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The success of traditional suicide prevention efforts is evaluated and found wanting. Some encouraging recent developments are noted, and it is suggested that suicidologists might also profitably consider the strategies used by professionals dealing with other public health and social problems, such as drug abuse and delinquency.
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Although many authors have advocated the use of bereavement support groups, little research has been done comparing groups that differ in their structure and membership. We conducted such research on five bereavement support groups offered in the Montreal area and report preliminary findings from three of them. These three groups serve widows, family survivors of suicide, and family survivors (other than parents) of the death of a family member by cancer. Although members of all groups tended to report strong satisfaction with their group experience, both the reasons for joining a group and the most valuable aspects of the group experience varied as a function of group setting and objectives.
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Comparative Study
Satisfaction with hospital care and interventions after pregnancy loss.
Hospital practices after pregnancy loss have changed considerably over the past decade, yet they have not been well evaluated. In a longitudinal study of 194 women and men who experienced miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, or newborn death, the recommended interventions at the time of loss are examined. In most cases, parents were more satisfied if they had experienced an intervention than if they had not, but having experienced more total interventions was not associated with lower grief or greater satisfaction with overall care; the latter was related more to the attentiveness and sensitivity of health care personnel. Three groups identified as in need of greater attention are clinic patients, who were significantly less satisfied and more grief-stricken than the patients of private physicians, those who had spontaneous abortions or ectopic pregnancies, and those who had early fetal losses.