Abstract
The hypothesis of the present study was that there would be two different types of mourning processes among young and middle-aged adults with chronic illnesses. Specifically, it was predicted that chronic illness would either result in serious emotional torment or be accepted, along with a decline in physical ability with aging. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six males and five females who had first developed symptoms of chronic kidney disease as adults (ages 39-55 years). Participants were classified into three groups according to the appearance of the mourning process and intensity of emotional torment. In addition to the two predicted types, a third type was characterized by mild denial. The existence of severe symptoms, difficulties before illness, and experiences with the illness or death of their own parents or other intimates, all contributed to differences in classification. Further research should focus on patients' experiences with sickness or death involving intimates, as an important influence on their experience with chronic illness.
