[Grief Stages and Responses of Bereaved Mother Who Lost Her Children with Cancer]

Purpose: This study was done to develop a bereaved family care program by identifying characteristics of a grief healing process in a child loss.

Method: The subjects were five bereaved mothers who have lost their children with cancer. Data was collected with in-depth interviews using grief phase assessment tool and grief reaction assessment tool from 1, February, 2001 to 31 August, 2002. Data was analyzed on the basis of two tools.

Result: Process of grief in general was as follows: evading phase was within one week - one month, confrontation phase was 5 - 12 months, and reconciliation phase was after 9 months and still going on when the study was finished. Grief reaction in five (physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and spiritual) dimensions was stabilized when the phase moved into reconciliation phase. Influencing factors were intimacy and expectation towards child, social support, personality, prior loss experience, coping style, religion, culture, family cohesion, openness of communication, and stress events.

Conclusion: These results suggest that a bereaved family care program considering characteristics of Korean culture should be developed and activated.