The purpose of this article is to provide data on a recently developed instrument to measure the multidimensional nature of the bereavement process. In contrast to widely used grief instruments that have been developed using rational methods of instrument construction, the Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist (HGRC) was developed empirically from data collected from bereaved adults who had experienced the death of a loved one. Factor analysis of the HGRC revealed 6 factors in the normal trajectory of the grieving process: Despair, Panic Behavior, Blame and Anger, Detachment, Disorganization, and Personal Growth. Additional data are provided that support reliability and validity of the HGRC as well as its ability to discriminate variability in the grieving process as a function of cause of death and time lapsed since death. Empirical support is also provided for Personal Growth as an integral component of the bereavement process. The article concludes by considering the substantive as well as psychometric findings of this research for such issues as traumatic grief, anticipatory grief, change in the bereaved person's self-schema, and spiritual and existential growth.

As the breadth and depth of this volume testifies, the scientific study of bereavement has burgeoned in recent decades, making it one of the most fertile domains of research in the field of thanatology, the study of death and dying. With more than 2000 published books and articles devoted to grief and mourning, one might assume that a great deal is now known about the human encounter with loss, providing a secure grounding for both grief theory and therapy. Unfortunately, however, this is not the case, owing in part to limitations in the most commonly used methods adopted to study bereavement-related phenomena. Our goal in this chapter is to survey and evaluate the most promising of these methods, remarking on the strengths and weaknesses of each, and formulating recommendations that, if followed by future investigators, could help ensure a higher "information yield" from scientific research on bereavement in the future. SCOPEAs scientific research on grief and loss has grown, so too has the need to evaluate the methods with which it has been studied by investigators 89

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Objective To determine how to improve care for families by obtaining their advice to healthcare providers and researchers after a child’s death from cancer. Design Families with a surviving sibling (ages 8-17) were recruited from cancer registries at three hospitals in the United States and Canada 3-12 months (M = 10.4, SD = 3.5) after the child’s death. Setting Data were collected in the home. Participants Participants (N = 99) included 36 mothers, 24 fathers, and 39 siblings from 40 families. Outcome Measures Each participant completed a qualitative interview that was audio recorded, transcribed, and coded for thematic content. Findings Five major themes included the need for: (a) improved communication with the medical team, (b) more compassionate care, (c) increased access to resources, (d) ongoing research, as well as (e) offering praise. Interwoven within the five themes was a subtheme of continuity of care. Conclusions Many participants were pleased with the care the child with cancer received, but others noted areas in need of improvement, particularly medical communication and continuity of care. Additional research is needed to inform interventions to improve services for families of children with life-limiting conditions.