本研究之主要目的在於探討「成人飼主面對寵物死亡的心理調適與歷程」此一議題，希望透過訪談的方式，了解飼主在何種機緣下開始飼養寵物，並了解在飼養寵物之後，飼主的生活型態做了哪一些調整，以及與寵物的互動經驗。最後，在面臨寵物的臨終與死亡，是如何衝擊飼主的生命經驗，而其又如何面對與調適。也希望藉由本研究過程與結果試圖了解：成人飼主與寵物之間的依附關係。 本研究採用質性研究中的敘事研究方法，深入訪談五位曾經飼養過寵物或現在正在飼養寵物，且曾經歷過寵物死亡之成人。運用敘事研究的訪談方式，將其自我敘說化為故事文本，以「整體 --- 內容」方式呈現於第四章；另於第五章以「類別 --- 內容」模式進行文本分析。 研究結果發現，在心理歷程與調適上，寵物的「意義」與親密關係的斷裂是影響悲傷情緒的主要原因，研究參與者由寵物死亡中學習到「成長」，懂得更珍惜身邊的人事物。研究參與者最主要的調適的方法概分為五種：(一) 一個人獨自面對；(二)朋友陪伴；(三) 與家人共渡悲傷；(四) 注意力的轉移；(五) 尋找相同的「他」。在調適悲傷的過程中，通常不會只單獨使用一種因應方法來面對失落，大部分是所有方法交互運用，以渡過悲傷情緒。所有方法的選擇也 The main purpose of this study is to explore the issue of the adjustment and process of adult who faces with the death of their pets. Through the method of interview it is hoped to understand the pet owner under what kind of opportunity when it starts to raise the pet and after the raising of the pet, what kind of adjustment is in the form of life of the pet owner and what is the interactive experience with the pet. Finally, facing with the dying and death of the pet, how this will strike against the life experience of the pet owner and how the pet owner will face and adjust. It is also hoped to try to understand the attachment relationship between the pet owner and the pet based on the course and result of this study. This study adopts descriptive research method with the qualitative research to conduct in-depth interview of five adults who raised pets or are raising pets and had experienced the death of pets. The interview method of descriptive research is utilized and the self description is transformed into story text and is shown in Chapter 4 based on “holistic --- content” method. In addition, text analysis is conducted in Chapter 5 based on the “categorical --- content” form. The result of the study finds that in respect of the psychological course and adjustment, the “meaning” of the pet and the broken of close relationship are the main reasons of inducing the sad emotion. From the death of the pet, the research participants learn about “growth” and know how to treasure people, things and matters besides them. The main ways of adjustment by the research participants are separated into five types: (1) Face it solely alone; (2) Accompany by friends; (3) Pass the sadness with the family together; (4) Shift the attention; (5) Find a similar “it”. In the course of sadness adjustment, usually not one coping method is used independently to face the loss and mostly all methods are utilized mutually. The selected method is not absolute or in stages and instead it is a continuous and interactive development process.
