Exploring the Lived Experiences of Spousal Bereavement and Widowhood among Older Chinese Immigrants in Calgary

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dc.contributor.advisorWalsh, Christine Ann
dc.contributor.advisorTong, Hongmei
dc.contributor.authorWang, Qianyun
dc.contributor.committeememberTam, Dora
dc.contributor.committeememberWada, Kaori
dc.date2019-06
dc.date.accessioned2019-02-28T17:05:15Z
dc.date.available2019-02-28T17:05:15Z
dc.date.issued2019-02-26
dc.description.abstractSpousal bereavement poses considerable challenges to adults in late life. Some populations, such as older immigrants, may experience heightened negative outcomes as a consequence of spousal bereavement, due to migratory stress and marginalization. Spousal bereavement is also culturally-embedded as it is related to cultural beliefs and attitudes concerning death and family relationships. However, studies on spousal bereavement or widowhood among older immigrant groups are limited. This study aims to fill the gap by exploring, via a phenomenological approach, the lived experiences of widowed older Chinese immigrants in Calgary. This study addressed two main research questions: 1) What are the lived experiences of widowed Chinese older immigrants in coping with their spousal bereavement? and 2) What supports do widowed older Chinese immigrants draw from to cope with their bereavement and to adjust to widowhood? Findings were categorized into four levels, individual, family, community and society. It was found that grief was long-lasting among participants. They took grief privately, with using rituals and faith. Although family and ethno-cultural communities played an important role in providing supports to participants during their widowhood, both were unable to directly help them cope with the spousal loss. Most participants did not access social services for bereavement support. Participants’ lived experience of widowhood were also embedded with multi-dimensional identities: age, gender, immigration, and ethnicity. Immigration background and ethno-cultural factors were recognized in relation to their significant impact on participants’ late-life widowhood. Limitations of this study, implications for further research and social work practice and policy-making were included.en_US
dc.identifier.citationWang, Q. (2019). Exploring the lived experiences of spousal bereavement and widowhood among older Chinese immigrants in Calgary (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca.en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/36153
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/109920
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisher.facultySocial Worken_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen
dc.rightsUniversity of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectspousal bereavementen_US
dc.subjectwidowhooden_US
dc.subjectlived experiencesen_US
dc.subjectChinese immigranten_US
dc.subjectolder adulten_US
dc.subject.classificationGerontologyen_US
dc.subject.classificationSocial Worken_US
dc.titleExploring the Lived Experiences of Spousal Bereavement and Widowhood among Older Chinese Immigrants in Calgaryen_US
dc.typemaster thesisen_US
thesis.degree.disciplineSocial Worken_US
thesis.degree.grantorUniversity of Calgaryen_US
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Social Work (MSW)en_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrue
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