Abstract
A controlled study that examined the effects of a shortterm crisis service given to a group of families recently bereaved through a sudden death within the family is reported. The results reveal that sudden death does have a major impact on recently bereaved families in terms of increased risk of ill health, poor coping behavior, and disturbed social functioning when compared to nonbereaved families. However, the shortterm crisis service appeared to have no major impact upon postbereavement adjustment. Discussion centered around possible reasons for failure of the shortterm crisis services.
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This project was supported by an NIMH grant #MH 15867, and was conducted while Dr. Williams and Dr. Polak were at the Fort Logan Mental Health Center.
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Williams, W.V., Lee, J. & Polak, P.R. Crisis intervention: Effects of crisis intervention on family survivors of sudden death situations. Community Ment Health J 12, 128–136 (1976). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01411382
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01411382