This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Stroebe, M. Articles by Schut, H. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Stroebe, M. Articles by Schut, H. Pubmed/NCBI databases Medline Plus Health Information Bereavement Social Bookmarking                         What's this?

Bereavement research: methodological issues and ethical concerns

Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht

Wolfgang Stroebe

Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht

Henk Schut

Department of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht

Principles of conducting research in the field of bereavement are introduced. The review focuses on issues of design and methodology, and considers ethical concerns, particularly in view of the fact that bereaved people are frequently in acute grief when scientific study is conducted. Accurate assessment is fundamental, and requires methodologically stringent procedures. The merits and disadvantages of different types of investigation are considered, the often-neglected need for control groups is described, and quantitative versus qualitative methodological approaches are reviewed. Also considered are biases due to selection and limits on generalizability. Understanding of ethical matters arising in this field of research is essential for the conduct of worthwhile research, and involves methodological sophistication.

Key Words: bereavement • ethics • grief • methodology • research design

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 17, No. 3, 235-240 (2003)
DOI: 10.1191/0269216303pm768rr


CiteULike    Complore    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter    What's this?

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. L. Aho, M.-T. Tarkka, P. Astedt-Kurki, and M. Kaunonen Fathers' Experience of Social Support After the Death of a Child American Journal of Men's Health, June 1, 2009; 3(2): 93 - 103. [Abstract] [PDF]

				U. Gilrane-McGarry and L. Taggart An exploration of the support received by people with intellectual disabilities who have been bereaved Journal of Research in Nursing, March 1, 2007; 12(2): 129 - 144. [Abstract] [PDF]

				R. F. Hess Postabortion Research: Methodological and Ethical Issues Qual Health Res, April 1, 2006; 16(4): 580 - 587. [Abstract] [PDF]