Stressors Assoicated with Family Member's Death:

A pilot study for “secondary stressors”

Abstract

　　The purpose of this investigation is to examine the substances and effects of the stressors with family member's death, that is, “secondary stressors”.

　　Study1: 156 Subjects who experienced the death of a family member answered an open-ended questionnaire concerning stressors associated with family member's death. As a result of this research, 8 categories were classified: “Difficulties among family members” , “Difficulties on the social life” , “Difficulties on the housekeeping” , “Change of the environment of living” , “Unsuitable support” , “Conflicts with relatives” , “Things after bereavement (e. g. procedures for succession to property)”, and “Economical difficulties”.

　　Study 2: Subjectes consisted of 61 widowed from Study 1 and 30 married (“married group”). They answered a questionnaire concerning mental health (General Health Questionnaire Japanese Version, 28 version). 61 widowed were distingushed “stress group” from “non-stress group” according to the result of Study 1. Three groups were compared by using one-way analysis of the variance (ANOVA) on mental health, and further ppost hoc comparisons was undertaken. The total score of GHQ 28 of “stress group” was significartly the highest among three groups. That of “married group” was lower than that of both “stress group” and “non-stress group”. That is, mental health of the widowed may be made worse group and “non-stress group”. That is, mental health of the widowed may be made worse by “secondary stressors” as well as loss itself.

　　These findings suggested the necessities of instrumental supports and family intervention.