Abstract:
Pauline Boss (2006), in her well recognized theory, uses the term “ambiguous loss” to address incomplete and uncertain losses, and defines two basic types of ambiguous loss: Cases involving someone being physically absent yet psychologically present (e.g., missing persons or missing bodies without proof of death, abducted children etc.); and cases involving someone being physically present but psychologically absent (e.g., individuals with dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, autism etc.). The aim of this study is to make a thorough investigation of the experience of ambiguous loss and resultant grief in the family members of the missing individuals, and those of the patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The proposed study was designed on the basis of qualitative methodology and adopted grounded theory approach. Semi-structured interview protocol will be used as the main data collection tool. The sample will consist of 20 adults with an experience of ambiguous loss, either through having a missing member in their family or having a family member diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. It will be the very first study on ambiguous loss and grief in the Turkish literature. It is expected to contribute to the field by providing empirical evidence for a deeper understanding of the phenomenon of ambiguous loss related grief and thereby for psychotherapeutic interventions specific to grieving individuals and families.