Reading: Comparison of Narratives of Loss Experiences of World War II and Vietnam Combat Veterans
BOOK TITLE: Post-Traumatic Stress Theory: Research and Application
Edited by John H. Harvey Ph.D
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Brian G. Panwels
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
CHAPTER FOUR
Comparison of Narratives of Loss Experiences of World War II and Vietnam Combat Veterans
Carrie Barnes and John H. Harvey
Department of Psychology University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
page 69
Quote:
... In posing this question, we adopted what we have referred to as an account-making model of dealing with major loss(Harvey, 1996; Harvey, Weber, & Orbuch, 1990)... The basic idea is that people often effectively deal with major loss over time by developing an account, or story, pertaining to the loss. The story explains the loss, as best one can explain it, and provides descriptive information about events surrounding the loss that capture the meaning of the loss for the individual... People probably develop accounts about all matters of moment in their lives, including many positive experiences, but our work focus mainly on their accounts of negative, stressful experiences.
A final area of analysis in the account-making model pertains to a person's work on a personal story and related confiding about it to the point that a feeling of acceptance and understanding occurs. This stage is accompaied by identity change. The person feels that he or she has changed in fundamental ways as a result of the loss and how he or she processed it in terms of feelings, thoughts, and social interactions. This later stage is comparable to what Horawitz(1976) and others have referred to as the development of schema change associated with severe streesors.
Edited by John H. Harvey Ph.D
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
Brian G. Panwels
University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa
CHAPTER FOUR
Comparison of Narratives of Loss Experiences of World War II and Vietnam Combat Veterans
Carrie Barnes and John H. Harvey
Department of Psychology University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, USA
page 69
Quote:
... In posing this question, we adopted what we have referred to as an account-making model of dealing with major loss(Harvey, 1996; Harvey, Weber, & Orbuch, 1990)... The basic idea is that people often effectively deal with major loss over time by developing an account, or story, pertaining to the loss. The story explains the loss, as best one can explain it, and provides descriptive information about events surrounding the loss that capture the meaning of the loss for the individual... People probably develop accounts about all matters of moment in their lives, including many positive experiences, but our work focus mainly on their accounts of negative, stressful experiences.
A final area of analysis in the account-making model pertains to a person's work on a personal story and related confiding about it to the point that a feeling of acceptance and understanding occurs. This stage is accompaied by identity change. The person feels that he or she has changed in fundamental ways as a result of the loss and how he or she processed it in terms of feelings, thoughts, and social interactions. This later stage is comparable to what Horawitz(1976) and others have referred to as the development of schema change associated with severe streesors.
