Handbook of Thanatology: The Essential Body of Knowledge for the Study of Death, Dying, and Bereavement

If ever there was an area requiring that the research-practice gap be bridged, surely it occurs where thanatologists engage with people dealing with human mortality and loss. The field of thanatology - the study of death and dying - is a complex, multidisciplinary area that encompases the range of human experiences, emotions, expectations, and realities.

In the Handbook of Thanatology, The Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) has compiled the most authoritative volume in the field, which provides for the first time a single source of up-to-date scholarship, research, and practice implications. The Handbook is organized into seven parts, the first six of which correspond to the key areas of knowledge and training in this field: Dying; End-of-Life Decision Making; Loss, Grief and Mourning; Assessment and Intervention; Traumatic Death; Death Education. Within each of these six parts, a series of chapters explore central themes and issues: Culture/Socialization; Religion/Spirituality; Historical/Contemporary Perspectives; Life Span; Family/Systems; Ethical/Legal Issues. The remaining two chapters of the final section - Part 7 - examine Professional Issues and Resources in Thanatology.

Introduction. Certification in Thanatology. Part I: Dying. Charles Corr & Donna Corr, Culture, Socialization, and Dying. Lattanzi-Licht, Religion, Spirituality, and Dying. Doka, Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Dying. Paletti, Life Span Issues and Dying. Connor, The Family, Larger Systems, and Dying. Zucker, Ethical and Legal Issues and Dying. Part II: End-of-Life Decision Making. Walker, Culture, Socialization, and End-of-Life Decision Making. Gilbert, Religion, Spirituality, and End-of-Life Decision Making. Werth & Harte, Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on End-of-Life Decision Making. Walker, Life Span Issues and End-of-Life Decision Making. Mowery, The Family, Larger Systems, and End-of-Life Decision Making. Zucker, Ethical and Legal Issues and End-of-Life Decision Making. Part III: Loss, Grief, and Mourning. Rosenblatt, Culture, Socialization, and Loss, Grief and Mourning. Klass, Religion and Spirituality inLoss, Grief and Mourning. Charles Corr & Donna Corr, Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Loss, Grief and Mourning. Oltjenbruns & Balk, Life Span Issues and Loss, Grief and Mourning. Cook, The Family, Larger Systems, and Loss, Grief and Mourning. Meagher, Ethical and Legal Issues and Loss, Grief and Mourning. Part IV: Assessment and Intervention. Shapiro, Culture and Socialization in Assessment and Intervention. Doka, Religion, Spirituality, and Assessment and Intervention. Jordan, Neimeyer, Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Assessment and Intervention. Crenshaw, Life Span Issues and Assessment and Intervention. Matheson, Assessment and Intervention in the Family and Larger Systems. Rainer, Ethical and Legal Issues in Assessment and Intervention. Part V: Traumatic Death. Kaufman, Culture, Socialization, and Traumatic Death. Cox, Religion, Spirituality, and Traumatic Death. Rnage, Historical and Contemporary Perspectives on Traumatic Death. Lester, Life Span Issues and Traumatic Death. Crenshaw, The Family, Larger Systems, and Traumatic Death. Meagher, Ethical and Legal Issues and Traumatic Death. Part VI: Death Education. DeSpelder, Strickland, Culture, Socialization, and Death Education. Stevenson, Religion, Spirituality, and Death Education. Noppe, Historial and Contemporary Perspectives on Death Education. Noppe, Life Span Issues and Death Education. Gilbert and Murray, The Family, Larger Systems, and Death Education. Sofka, Ethical and Legal Issues and Death Education. Part VII: Two Overarching Indicators Within Fundamental Knowledge of Thanatology. Wogrin, Professional Issues and Thanatology. Thornton, Jett, Zanich, Resources in Thanatology.