"I WANTED SOMEONE TO HEAR": GRIEF EXPERIENCES OF SINGLE WOMEN FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF A PARTNER

Abstract

Grief is not only an emotional process experienced by the individual but also an experience shaped by how loss is received, acknowledged, and supported by the social environment. The loss of a spouse within a marital bond and the loss of a romantic partner without a legal marital bond may differ in how grief is recognized and supported, influencing the grieving process. This study aims to explore the grief experiences of women who lost a romantic partner without a legal marital bond and were single at the time of the interviews, focusing on how they make sense of this loss. Interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA) was used to examine participants lived experiences and meaning-making processes in depth. Semi-structured face-to-face and online interviews were conducted with five women aged 21–34 who had experienced such a loss. Four main themes emerged: being (un)prepared for death, in the shadow of the fear of loss, remaining at the “threshold,” and clinging to life while wishing for death. The findings highlight that societal attitudes toward non-marital relationships and the presence or absence of a marital bond significantly shape how participants experience and interpret grief. This study contributes to the grief literature by highlighting the impact of lacking legal status with one’s partner and emphasizing the need for greater recognition and support for women grieving such losses.

Keywords

• Loss
• Grief
• Loss of Partner
• Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

“BİRİLERİ DUYSUN İSTEDİM”: PARTNER KAYBI YAŞAMIŞ BEKÂR KADINLARIN YAS DENEYİMİ

Abstract

Yas, yalnızca bireyin yaşadığı duygusal bir süreç değil, aynı zamanda kaybın sosyal çevre tarafından nasıl karşılandığı, kabul edildiği ve hangi ölçüde desteklendiğiyle ilişkili bir yaşantıdır. Evlilik bağıyla yaşanan eş kayıpları ile evlilik bağı bulunmayan romantik ilişkilerde yaşanan partner kayıpları, yasın sosyal çevre tarafından ele alınışı ve destekleniş biçimleri açısından farklılık gösterebilmektedir. Bu farklılıklar, kaybettiği partneriyle evlilik yoluyla yasal bir bağ bulunmayan bireylerin romantik partner kaybı sonrası yas deneyimlerini etkilemektedir. Bu bağlamda çalışma, romantik partneriyle aralarında evlilik yoluyla yasal bir bağ bulunmadan partner kaybı yaşayan ve görüşmeler sırasında da bekâr olan kadınların yas deneyimlerini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Söz konusu çalışmada, bir olguyu derinlemesine incelemeye olanak sağladığı ve katılımcıların kişisel deneyimlerini araştırmak için sistematik bir yöntem sunduğu için nitel araştırma yöntemlerinden olan yorumlayıcı fenomenolojik analiz kullanılmıştır. Bu kapsamda, romantik partnerini 21–34 yaşları arasında kaybetmiş, kayıp sırasında partneriyle evlilik yoluyla yasal bir bağ bulunmayan ve görüşmeler sırasında da bekâr olan beş kadınla yarı yapılandırılmış görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Görüşmelerin analizleri sonucunda ölüme hazır ol(ma)mak, kaybetme korkusunun gölgesinde, “eş”ikte kalmak ve ölümü isterken yaşama sarılmak olarak dört üst tema belirlenmiştir. Bulgular, katılımcıların yas deneyimlerini anlamlandırma süreçlerinde, partnerle evlilik bağının bulunup bulunmaması ile bu duruma ilişkin toplumsal yaklaşımın yas süreçlerinde önemli bir rol oynadığını ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Kayıp
• Yas
• Partner Kaybı
• Yorumlayıcı Fenomenolojik Analiz

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