Grief and Loss Across the Lifespan: A Biopsychosocial Perspective

The third edition of this unrivaled text on loss, grief, and bereavement continues to provide a unique biopsychosocial perspective and developmental framework for understanding grieving patterns. Organized by a lifespan trajectory, this text describes developmental aspects of grieving, linking these theories to effective clinical work. Biopsychosocial developmental theories, including neurobiological and genetic information, frame chapters that include recent research on how people of that age respond to varied loss situations, and intervention strategies supported by practice experience and empirical evidence are addressed.

The new edition illuminates special considerations in risk and resilience for each life phase, systematically addressing issues of oppression, marginalization, and health disparities. It includes a new chapter on grief and loss as they effect individuals over 85 and covers spiritual development for each life phase. The book restructures the adult chapters to reflect major changes in theories on expanded lifespans, adds to content on evolving living arrangements for aging individuals, and expands coverage of common losses at different points in the lifespan. This new edition includes material on ageism and its impact on health and also examines the challenges faced by older adults in the LGBT community. Additionally, the third edition explicitly incorporates the rapidly evolving science of Adverse Childhood Experiences, addressing how ACEs intersect with grief and loss. Vignettes and case studies are incorporated into each life-phase chapter, illuminating the lived experience of grief. Thought-provoking discussion questions, chapter objectives, and additional resources for both students and instructors reinforce critical thinking and an Instructor's Manual, Casebook (of prior chapter readings), and PowerPoint slides are available for download. A free digital version is included with every text purchase.

New to the Third Edition::

• Adds Special Considerations in Risk and Resilience to every chapter
• Incorporates Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) and their effects at various life stages
• Focus on neurobiological and genomic aspects of health
• Includes a new chapter on the Fourth Age – from 85 up
• Discusses spiritual development for each life phase
• Incorporates new case studies
• Restructures adult chapters to reflect major new theories about expanded lifespans
• Welcomes a new author who adds content on the third and fourth ages of older adulthood, ageism, and the experience of aging in LGBT communities
• Expands content on areas of marginalization – race, gender, financial resources, educational disparities, and more
• Expands content on evolving living arrangements for older adults
• Expands information on typical losses at different life stages
• Delivers expanded web materials including a casebook of prior readings from earlier editions, in addition to PowerPoint slides and class plans and activities in the Instructor Manual

Key Features::

• Provides a complete overview of classic and current grief theories
• Delivers a standardized developmental approach to each age group for consistency
• Presents practical intervention strategies for different life stages
• Includes chapter objectives, vignettes, case studies, and narratives to illustrate specific forms of loss
• Delivers abundant instructor resources including instructor's guide with sample syllabus and exercises, PowerPoints, class activities, and suggested resources