| Summary: | This thesis is submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Clin.Psy.D. at the School of Psychology, University of Birmingham. It consists of both the research and clinical work undertaken as part of the course. Throughout the thesis all identifying information has been changed to ensure confidentiality. Volume I of the thesis comprises the research component, presented in the format of two main papers, which have been prepared according to the requirements of Death Studies (See Appendix 8 for instructions for authors). Contrary to journal submission requirements, in order to aide the reader, tables and Figures have been integrated into the text. The two main papers focus on the notion of continuing bonds in bereavement. Continuing bonds are a sense of ongoing attachment to the deceased. The first paper is a review of the literature which introduces the concept of continuing bonds and the evidence for their existence, before considering the conceptualisation of continuing bonds within major bereavement models, and research evidence for their adaptiveness. The second paper is an empirical investigation into the role of factors that influence emotional reaction to continuing bonds in bereaved spouses'. The final section of Volume I comprises of the appendices, which include a Public Domain Briefing Paper. Volume II comprises five clinical practice reports, which reflect the clinical work carried out during the course. These include a case study of a 37-year old woman with social phobia formulated from cognitive and psychodynamic perspectives; a case study of a cognitive-behavioural and family-focused intervention with an 11-year old girl with OCD; a single-case experimental design exploring the unmet needs of a nursing home resident with dementia; a pilot evaluation of a video to provide information about psychology for clients with a learning disability; and a cognitive-analytic reformulation of a woman with breast cancer.
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