Effects of a Bereavement Intervention Program on Depression and Life Satisfaction in Middle Aged Widows in Korea.
10.4040/jkan.2006.36.8.1367
- Author:
Yang Sook YOO
1
;
Hee Young KANG
Author Information
1. College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Controlled Clinical Trial
- Keywords:
bereavement;
depression;
life satisfaction
- MeSH:
Adult;
Attitude to Health;
*Bereavement;
Breathing Exercises;
Depression/diagnosis/etiology/*prevention & control/psychology;
Exercise Therapy;
Female;
Health Services Needs and Demand;
Health Status;
Humans;
Korea;
Life Change Events;
Medicine, East Asian Traditional;
Middle Aged;
Nursing Evaluation Research;
*Personal Satisfaction;
Physical Examination;
Program Evaluation;
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales;
Quality of Life/psychology;
Questionnaires;
Self-Help Groups/*organization & administration;
Widowhood/*psychology
- From:
Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
2006;36(8):1367-1373
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: This study was designed to examine the effects of a bereavement intervention program on levels of depression and life satisfaction in middle aged widows in Korea. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent control-group pretest-posttest was used. The subjects (control group, n = 10; intervention group, n = 17) were bereaved less than 6 months in G City and J Province, Korea. The bereavement intervention program consisted of Dan-jeon breathing, self-help group activities and a health examination. The experimental group attended 10 sessions of a bereavement intervention program. The control group had a health examination without the intervention program. For both groups, the level of depression and life satisfaction levels were measured before and after the experiment. RESULTS: The decrement of depression level in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (p<.001). The increment in life satisfaction in the experimental group was significantly greater than in the control group (p<.001). CONCLUSION: The results suggested that the bereavement intervention program was effective in decreasing level of depression and in increasing the life satisfaction of widows. Accordingly, a bereavement intervention program can be applied as an intervention to help widows.
