THE PSYCHOLOGICAL SYMPTOMS OF CONJUGAL BEREAVEMENT IN ELDERLY MEN OVER THE FIRST 13 MONTHS
International Journal of Geriatric PsychiatryPublished 1 February 1997
Gerard J. Byrne, Beverley Raphael
Citations109
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SJR score1.22
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TL;DR
Investigation of the psychological symptoms experienced by recently widowed older men found that conjugal bereavement in this group would be characterized by a mixture of depression, anxiety and loneliness.
Abstract
The main hypothesis was not supported, as anxiety symptoms were the predominant clinical feature of recent conjugal bereavement among older men. The nature of these anxiety symptoms requires further investigation in recently widowed older persons.
Keywords
PsychologySocial Sciences
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