中華心理衛生協會

Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to explore the relationships among bereavement coping behaviors, attachment styles, and anticipatory mourning reactions in the families of terminal cancer patients. Methods: Participants were 142 families (64 male, 78 female; mean age: 38.94) from 3 Kaohsiung hospice wards sampled using a purposive sampling method. The Attachment Style Scale, the Brief COPE, and the Revised Grief Experience Inventory were administered in face-to-face interviews. Results: The mean level of anticipatory mourning reactions among participants was moderately low, and the frequency of positive coping behaviors was higher than negative. Attachment styles were significantly related to differences in planning, positive reframing, religion, denial, and behavioral disengagement. Attachment styles were also significantly related to differences in existential concerns, depression, and anticipatory mourning reaction in the form of physical distress. Anticipatory mourning reactions correlated negatively with active coping, positive reframing, acceptance, use of instrumental support, and venting, whereas they correlated positively with denial, behavioral disengagement, and self-blame. Conclusions: The study found that attachment style was an important predictive factor with respect to anticipatory mourning reactions and the coping process, and also demonstrated a relationship between bereavement coping behaviors and anticipatory mourning reactions.