Grief Reactions to the Death of a Divorced Spouse Revisited

Abstract

This research report shows grief following the death of a divorced spouse to be a common event which frequently is not understood, acknowledged, and/or accepted by society, family members, and friends. With the divorce rate still hovering near 50 percent and people living longer, there will be an increasing number who may suffer this grief experience. This article focuses on why people often grieve for an ex-spouse, the unique factors which influence their grief response, the importance of developing ways to assist survivors manage their grief, and the necessity of educating the helping professions, and society in general, to recognize and validate survivor's emotional needs.