Phenomenological study of the lived experience of mourning spouses during the corona virus pandemic

Abstract

Background: The spread of the coronavirus causes many problems, including anxiety, depression, being away from relatives, and increasing feelings of loneliness. However, research has not yet comprehensively explained what problems and challenges will be faced by mourning spouses with coronavirus. Aims: The aim of the present study was to identify the life experiences of mourning spouses during the corona virus pandemic. Methods: present study was qualitative descriptive phenomenology. The sample consisted of 8 mourning spouses in Tehran who lost their partners in the period from April to September 2020. Targeted and snowball sampling methods were used. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, then implemented verbatim and analyzed by the seven-step Colaizzi’s method. Results: In this study, 4 main themes include: 1) Concerns (Worries about survival, worries about children, financial concerns); 2) personal reactions (Emotional reactions, behavioral reactions); 3) changes in social relations (Communication with relatives, communication with coworkers); 4) A change of perspective (Towards the world, towards those around) was identified. Conclusion: According to the findings, it can be said that the lives of mourning spouses have been severely affected by this disease and the death of their spouses, and it is necessary to provide support systems for them according to their circumstances.

Keywords

• lived experiences
• mourning
• corona virus
• spouses