GÜÇLENME YAKLAŞIMI TEMELLİ SOSYAL HİZMET GRUP ÇALIŞMASININ EŞ KAYBINI DENEYİMLEYEN YAŞLILARA UYGULANMASI: BİR KARMA YÖNTEM ARAŞTIRMASI

Abstract

This study was conducted based on two key issues identified in the national literature: the absence of a quasi-experimental study targeting elderly individuals experiencing spousal loss and the lack of knowledge regarding the effects of empowerment-based social work group practices on the empowerment of individuals. The study aimed to make visible the grief experiences of elderly individuals who have lost their spouses, to reveal the impact of group work on their empowerment processes, and to facilitate their empowerment at personal, interpersonal, and structural levels during the grief process. In light of these issues and objectives, a mixed-methods research design was adopted. The study employed a quasi-experimental design with pre-test, post-test, and follow-up evaluations, including control groups. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected before, during, and after the group sessions, and these data were integrated to evaluate the effectiveness of the group intervention. Quantitative data for the study were collected using the Two-Track Model of Bereavement, the Collectivist Coping Styles Inventory, the Grief Cognitions Questionnaire, and the Beck Depression Inventory. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured in-depth interviews designed by the researchers, weekly evaluation reports prepared after empowerment-based group sessions, and audio recordings of weekly group sessions. The sample of this study, which was conducted with elderly people who experienced the loss of a spouse, consisted of 20 individuals over the age of 60 who had lost their spouse for at most 1 year, had not been diagnosed with any mental illness before or after the loss and were in a normal mourning process. Among these participants, 9 were assigned to the experimental group, and 11 to the control group. Quantitative data were analyzed through within-group and between-group comparisons, revealing significant differences between individuals who participated in the group work and those who did not. The qualitative findings, analyzed using reflective thematic analysis, demonstrated that the experience of spousal loss shapes empowerment processes at personal, interpersonal, and structural levels. Moreover, the empowerment-based social work group intervention was found to contribute significantly to the empowerment of participants. The study emphasizes the need for social work, as one of the professions in the mental health field, to play a more active role in grief counseling. Additionally, it advocates for further research to develop effective practices for this population.