The authors conducted a 2-year study of postbereavement adaptation in
162 widows. Sixty-eight were paired with a widow contact who provided
emotional support and practical assistance. The differences between the
women receiving intervention and the controls at 6, 12, and 24 months after
bereavement suggested that those receiving intervention followed the same
general course of adaptation as control subjects but that the rate of
achieving landmark stages was accelerated for the intervention group. The
Goldberg General Health Questionnaire and two indices derived from the
study questionnaire confirmed the hypothesized "pathway" of adaptation"
through intra- and interpersonal adaptation to resolution of overall
distress and the effectiveness of the intervention.Abstract Teaser