Using narratives to express bereavement: An interview study on professional female writers experiences that in their middle age have lost their mothers

Birgitta Berg Wikander, Britt-Maj Wikström, Teres Elfström

Faculty of Health, Nutrition and Management, Oslo, Norway.
St. Botvids High School, Stockholm, Sweden.
The University of Gotland, Visby, Sweden.

DOI: 10.4236/ojn.2012.22008                

Abstract

Objectives of the study were to increase the knowledge about women who in their middle age have lost their mothers and to investigate the therapeutic value of expressive writing in the grief process according to the women. Method: An interview was carried out with 18 professional female authors about their writings about death of a close relative, their mothers. They were asked to tell about the grief and what the writing meant to them. Results: All authors described in narratives. Some results were evident such as; feelings of relief by writing and their reflections and memories became clear. As authors of imaginative literature they were use to the process of writing. Conclusions: The evidence from this study offers useful information for nurses to plan and design programmes based on narrative structures in nursing care.

Keywords

Bereavement; Narrative; Aesthetics; Nursing Care; Relief

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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