Representations of death and mourning in the life cicle

Authors

  • Henrique Salmazo da Silva USP
  • Mariana Nakajo Zemuner
  • Pedro Henrique da Silva Rodrigues
  • Tatiane Barbosa de Andrade
  • Vanilda Martiniano
  • Deusivania Vieira da Silva Falcão Professora Doutora da Universidade de São Paulo - Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (USP-EACH). Doutora em Psicologia pela Universidade de Brasília (UnB). Psicóloga e Mestra em Psicologia Social pela Universidade Federal da Paraíba (UFPB).

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23925/2176-901X.2012v15iEspecial12p185-206

Keywords:

Death, , Grief, Life Cycle, Adults, Older Adults

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate representations of death and mourning in different age groups. We interviewed 22 individuals, including children, young adults, middle-aged adults and seniors. The group of children, requested the preparation of drawings and other participants were interviewed, and the statements recorded and analyzed qualitatively under the thematic analysis of Minayo (1994). The representation of death and mourning was heterogeneous. For children death process was characterized as a nonnormative event, represented by urban violence and transgression of social norms. The young adults conceive death as something transcendent and mourning as an expression of loss. The middle-aged adults, however, signaled respect for the grieving process and referred to death as finitude, loss of hope. Since the older adults have highlighted the extent of its own finitude.

Author Biography

Henrique Salmazo da Silva, USP

Gerontólogo bacharel em Gerontologia pela Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades da USP. Mestrando em Saúde Pública pela Faculdade de Saúde Pública da USP.

Downloads

Additional Files

Published

2013-10-23

How to Cite

Salmazo da Silva, H., Zemuner, M. N., Rodrigues, P. H. da S., Andrade, T. B. de, Martiniano, V., & Falcão, D. V. da S. (2013). Representations of death and mourning in the life cicle. Revista Kairós-Gerontologia, 15(Especial12), 185–206. https://doi.org/10.23925/2176-901X.2012v15iEspecial12p185-206

Issue

Vol. 15 (2012): Número Especial 12 - Finitude/Morte e Velhice

Section

Papers

License

Kairós Gerontologia owns the copyright of all published material. The whole reproduction of the articles of this Journal in other publications or for any other purpose, by any means, requires a written permission of the editor of this journal. Partial reproductions of articles (abstracts, more than 500 words text, tables, figures and other illustrations) must have a permission written by the publisher and the authors.