The long-term grief experience of young widows and widowers: A constructivist grounded theory study

Grief in response to the death of a loved one is a universal experience that all individuals will encounter at some point in their lives. Young widows and widowers, age 45 and under, face unique challenges in their grieving process two or more years after the death of their spouse. Grief in this population; however, remains understudied. The purpose of this constructivist grounded theory research was to explore the experiences and processes of grief of young widows and widowers whose spouse had died two or more years prior to participating in the study. The substantive, emerging grounded theory titled, Moving Forward With Grief was developed based on the findings. This emerging theory will inform health-care professionals who work with the bereaved. Furthermore, it will support a client-centered understanding of the longevity of and true nature of grief when one experiences spousal loss at a young age.