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This study examined the relationships between hope and the emotional reactions of bereaved Chinese people in Hong Kong. Three groups--a clinical bereaved sample (n = 140), a general bereaved sample (n = 152), and a non-bereaved comparison sample (n = 144)--were included. Significant differences in 3 hope measures, hope (pathway), hope (agency) and hope (total), were found between the 3 groups. Moderately strong correlations were found between hope measures and emotional reactions. A mediating effect for hope (agency), but not for hope (pathway) and hope (total), was found in the relationship between bereavement. Possibilities for working with Chinese bereaved people and implications for research and training were discussed. (Contains 6 tables and 1 figure.)

Contrary to the belief that the Chinese do not share emotionally intense experiences, findings from a cross-sectional study of 292 respondents who lost either a spouse or a parent in the previous 2 years in Hong Kong indicated that only 10% did not share their bereavement experiences with another person. The physical health and emotional state of non-sharers was found to be no different to those who shared. In addition, the Chinese are believed to limit their social sharing of personal experiences to family members only. In our study, we found that for those who shared, the persons they shared most with were their best friends, siblings, and professionals. Non-family members are clearly eligible "sharees" for Chinese people. Differences in the reactions of sharees in good and bad sharing experiences were identified. Based on these findings, implications for bereavement care for Chinese are delineated. (Contains 4 tables.)

This study explores the bereavement process of Chinese persons in Hong Kong, with the focus on how they make meaning of the death as well as how they maintain a bond with the deceased. A review of video- and audiotapes of 52 bereaved persons in bereavement counseling pointed to how these concepts are reflected in key themes that appeared throughout these interviews. The way this bereaved population found meaning in the death was reflected in how they understood the cause of death, their observations at the death moment, their understanding of the life of the deceased after the death, the life of the bereaved after the death, and the burial and mourning rituals that were followed. The continuing bond the bereaved felt with the deceased was experienced by the bereaved as either initiated by the deceased, for example by the deceased appearing in dreams or initiated by the bereaved themselves in their talking with the deceased. These 2 aspects of the bereavement process seem to be similar to those found in other societies, but the ways in which they were manifested were unique to the Chinese culture. Based on these findings, the authors conclude with implications for intervention with this bereaved population.