Compared 92 widows and 400 professionals (clergy, counselors, physicians, funeral directors) regarding perceptions of conjugal bereavement. Professionals saw bereavement as having more negative impact and requiring use of coping skills to greater extent than did widows. Help-seeking behaviors, age at bereavement, and length of bereavement differentiated widows, whereas experience in counseling widows failed to separate professionals. (Author/NB)