@article{(Open Science Index):https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10008335, title = {The Experiences of Hong Kong Chinese Divorced Wives in Facing the Cancer Death of Their Ex-Husbands }, author = {M. L. Yeung}, country = {}, institution = {}, abstract = {With the surge of divorce rate and male cancer onset/death rates, the phenomenon of divorced wives in the facing cancer death of their ex-husbands is not uncommon in Hong Kong. Yet, there is a dearth of study on the experiences of bereaved-divorced wives in the Hong Kong cultural context. This project fills the knowledge gap by conducting a qualitative study for having interviewed four bereaved ex-wives, who returned to ex-husbands’ end-of-life caregiving and eventually grieved for the ex-spousal’s death. From the perspectives of attachment theory and disenfranchised grief in the Hong Kong cultural context, a ‘double-loss’ experience is found in which interviewees suffer from the first loss of divorce and the second loss of ex-husbands’ death. Traumatic childhood experiences, attachment needs, role ambiguity, unresolved emotions and unrecognized grief are found significant in their lived experiences which alert the ‘double-loss’ is worthy of attention. Extending a family-centered end-of-life and bereavement care services to divorced couples is called for, in which validation on the attachment needs, ex-couple reconciliation, and acknowledgement on the disenfranchised grief are essential for social work practice on this group of clienteles specifically in Hong Kong cultural context.}, journal = {International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences}, volume = {12}, number = {1}, year = {2018}, pages = {16 - 25}, ee = {https://publications.waset.org/pdf/10008335}, url = {https://publications.waset.org/vol/133}, bibsource = {https://publications.waset.org/}, issn = {eISSN: 1307-6892}, publisher = {World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology}, index = {Open Science Index 133, 2018}, }