The Context and Process of Theory Development: The Story of Ambiguous Loss

Abstract

This is the story of how the theory of ambiguous loss was born—the context of time and space in which it developed; the misunderstandings, clarifications, and corrections; and now, the theory's cultural updates. From an early interest in family stress theory, I coined the term ambiguous loss to name a previously unidentified stressor common to families everywhere. Discovering this phenomenon and developing the theory has been a lifelong process, but with a new generation of scholars, the theory continues to build and improve. This narrative is my tribute to a new generation of scholars, many of whom are testing the theory and broadening its application across cultures, disciplines, and types of ambiguous loss. May this account also stimulate the building of other useful theories of the middle range that include, without bias, the broad diversity of families today.

“We are Two of the Lucky Ones”: Experiences with Marriage and Wellbeing for Same-Sex Couples

“…Ambiguous loss, a theory dating back over 40 years, occurs when there is a situation of unclear and unresolved loss in the family (Boss, 2016). Boss (2006) described two types of ambiguous loss.…”

Hegemonic Heteronormativity: Toward a New Era of Queer Family Theory

“…To do so, we specify here that the first author is a cisgender White male and the second is a White Latina cisgender woman; both of us identify as queer. We think it is important to articulate these realities at the outset of this article because, as Boss () asserted, “Context influences the process of theory‐building… theories are a product of who we are and where we have been” (p. 280). Second, our understanding of families is a sociological one, whereby families are said to be constructed through social interaction rather than solely by legal or consanguineous relationships.…”

“…To do so, we specify here that the first author is a cisgender White male and the second is a White Latina cisgender woman; both of us identify as queer. We think it is important to articulate these realities at the outset of this article because, as Boss (2016) asserted, "Context influences the process of theory-building. .…”

From the Inside Out: Effects of Parental Incarceration on Children

“…As with any form of grieving, loss and sadness can feel different for everyone, and come across in different ways. Boss (2016) describes ambiguous loss as either physical or psychological. Physical loss can be understood as not knowing if the individual in question is alive or not, yet they may still be psychologically present (p. 270).…”