The aim of this study was to understand how AIDS-bereaved women in Indonesia cope in a society where death is believed to be fated. Data analyses were conducted based on the women’s interview transcripts and journal entries. Each of the women experienced at least three traumatic life events. The most challenging experience was learning that they have contracted a disease they regarded as associated with prostitution. Given the short lapse of time between their husbands’ deaths and learning about their seropositivity, biographical disruption appeared to have acted as an ‘analgesic’, while concerns to protect their children seemed to have triggered biographical reinforcement. This phenomenon may have brought about a positive bereavement outcome. Specific counselling programmes for women affected by HIV/AIDS are needed, but emphasis should first be placed on improving their wellbeing and their perception of stigma.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.