SPIRITUAL ASPECTS OF LOSS AMONG PARTNERS OF MEN WITH AIDS: POSTBEREAVEMENT FOLLOW-UP

This article is a follow - up study of bereaved caregiving male partners of men with AIDS ( T . A . Richards & S . Folkman , 1997 ). The earlier study examined spiritual beliefs , experiences , and practices reported in interviews with 125 caregivers conducted 2and 4weeks following bereavement . This follow - up study reports qualitative and quantitative data from 70 members of the earlier cohort , collected 3 to 4 years later , regarding the presence of spiritual phenomena . Spirituality increased or deepened in 77 % of the entire cohort . An ongoing relationship with the deceased partner was reported by 70 % of the cohort . The use of spirituality as coping appeared to decline as the bereaved moved further in time from the loss . Instead , spirituality was identified as a personal governing influence that provided value and direction to the individual . In general , relationships between the expression of spirituality and mood , coping , and physical health symptoms were not statistically significant owing to small samples , but there were medium effect sizes .