Sociocultural Considerations for Working With Blacks Experiencing Grief and Loss (IN: Living With Grief: who we are, how we Grieve, edited by K J Doka & J D Davidson)

The goal of this chapter is to examine the unique cultural attitudes & beliefs of Blacks regarding death, dying, & funeral practices, including distinctions among subgroupings of Blacks. The author offers an inferential model for breaking down some of the complexity of working with Blacks experiencing death & grief. Differences in the rate of death & dying among American Blacks as compared to whites are examined as are the causes of premature death among Blacks. The ways the unique experiences of Blacks may contribute to a sense of mistrust that might affect caregiving & counselling practices are explored. Finally, practical & useful considerations are offered for caregivers working with Blacks experiencing loss & grief.