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ETD Abstract Container

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Till death do us part?: The influence of deceased romantic partners on the lives and social convoys of older women

Hackett , Sara Elizabeth
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8811-7830
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami162445429953524

Abstract Details

2021, Doctor of Philosophy, Miami University, Gerontology.
Recent exploratory research integrating the hierarchical mapping technique (HMT) and the continuing bonds framework suggests that deceased individuals may be influential social convoy members. Building on this pilot work, the current qualitative descriptive study focuses on how older women view the role of a longstanding deceased romantic partner in their current social network. Twenty women (Mean age = 78 years, Range = 65 – 93 years), recruited via social media and snowball sampling, participated in one 90-minute semi-structured interview. Each discussed their bereavement journey and completed a HMT diagram to comment on their social network and the presence or absence of the deceased within it. Nineteen participants described the deceased as being an active member of their social convoy. Interestingly, 15 women placed them within the innermost circle of the diagram, separate from their other network members. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts expanded upon the HMT diagram exercise to reveal five major themes: "We're part of each other," "I think he supports me," "He would want me to be happy," "I just feel so grateful," and "I think about him every day but I don't talk about him every day." Perceptions that deceased romantic partners continue to play a key role in participants" lives offer researchers and practitioners a unique opportunity to examine how bereaved women manage loss into old age. Further, this study may assist with the development of interventions that help support bereaved individuals, specifically, interventions that focus on destigmatizing continuing bond expressions and provide assistance with communicating memorialization preferences.
Kate de Medeiros (Committee Chair)
Jennifer Bulanda (Committee Member)
Jennifer Kinney (Committee Member)
Sara McLaughlin (Committee Member)
Elise Radina (Other)
65 p.
Gerontology

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Hackett , S. E. (2021). Till death do us part?: The influence of deceased romantic partners on the lives and social convoys of older women [Doctoral dissertation, Miami University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami162445429953524

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Hackett , Sara. Till death do us part?: The influence of deceased romantic partners on the lives and social convoys of older women. 2021. Miami University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami162445429953524.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Hackett , Sara. "Till death do us part?: The influence of deceased romantic partners on the lives and social convoys of older women." Doctoral dissertation, Miami University, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=miami162445429953524

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

miami162445429953524
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© 2021, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Miami University and OhioLINK.