This book examines and describes aspects of acute grief that are peculiar to those who have lost an adult son or daughter. The essays in this volume express the view of scholars, clinicians, social workers, and individuals who have personally experienced the loss of an adult child. Each contributor describes his or her experiences within the scope of thanatology itself–a discipline whose focus is on the practice of supportive physical and emotional care for those whose lives are threatened, with an equal concern exhibited for the well-being of their family members. A philosopy of caregiving is proposed that reinforces alternative ways of enhancing the quality of life; introduces methods of intervention on behalf of the emotional status of all involved; and fosters a more mature understanding of the dying process and the problems of seperation, loss, bereavement, and grief.