Chater, Angel Marie;
Howlett, Neil;
Shorter, Gillian WW;
Zakrzewski-Fruer, Julia KK;
Williams, Jane;
(2022)
Reflections on Experiencing Parental Bereavement as a Young Person: A Retrospective Qualitative Study.
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
, 19
(4)
, Article 2083. 10.3390/ijerph19042083.
Preview |
Text
Chater_ijerph-19-02083-v2.pdf - Published Version Download (936kB) | Preview |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: It is estimated that approximately 41,000 children and young people experience the death of a parent each year. Grief responses, such as anxiety and depression, can follow. This research investigated the adult reflections of experiencing parental death as a young person. METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with adults (N = 14; female n = 8) who experienced parental death as a young person, which occurred over 5 years ago (time since death, M = 12.9 years; age at death, M = 16.4 years; age at interview, M = 30.9 years). The data were analysed inductively using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Seven themes revealed that parental bereavement can lead to (1) “Distance and isolation” and is an (2) “Emotional journey” with (3) a “Physical impact”. Many experienced (4) “Post-traumatic growth” but acknowledged that (5) “Life will never be the same”, highlighting the importance of (6) “Support and understanding” and triggers for (7) “Re-grief”. CONCLUSIONS: Parental bereavement has significant emotional and physical consequences, but can also lead to personal growth. Talking therapies were rarely accessed, often due to a lack of awareness or desire to engage, revealing a translational gap between existing support services and uptake. Enabling open conversations about grief and identifying suitable support is a public health priority. This need has been amplified since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may be a trigger for grief empathy and re-grief in those who have already been bereaved.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Reflections on Experiencing Parental Bereavement as a Young Person: A Retrospective Qualitative Study |
| Location: | Switzerland |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ijerph19042083 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19042083 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2022 MDPI. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). |
| Keywords: | bereavement, death, parent, young person, grief, emotion, post-traumatic growth |
| UCL classification: | UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences > Clinical, Edu and Hlth Psychology UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Life and Medical Sciences > Faculty of Brain Sciences > Div of Psychology and Lang Sciences |
| URI: | https://discovery-pp.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10149096 |
Archive Staff Only
 |
View Item |
