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Facilitating attachment between school-aged children and a dying parent
Amy Saldinger1, Albert C Cain, Katherine Porterfield
1Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA. amyleesa@umich.edu
Death Studies
|February 24, 2005
Summary
Families used forewarning of death to connect children with dying parents, but post-death attachment was challenging. This study explores maintaining connections for bereaved children and parents.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Thanatology
- Family Studies
Background:
- Parental bereavement significantly impacts children's well-being.
- Understanding family dynamics during terminal illness is crucial for support.
- Grief processing in children requires specific attention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore how families foster connections between children and dying parents.
- To examine preparations for continued child-parent attachment after death.
- To understand the challenges in maintaining connections post-bereavement.
Main Methods:
- Qualitative community study.
- Involved 58 parentally bereaved children.
- Included 35 surviving parents.
Main Results:
- Families utilized forewarning of death to enhance child-parent connections.
- Children and parents desired continued connection during terminal illness.
- Post-death attachment facilitation was emotionally difficult, challenging denial-based coping.
Conclusions:
- Interventions for anticipatory relationship facilitation may benefit some families.
- Clinicians must acknowledge psychological limitations families face during bereavement.
- Respecting coping mechanisms is vital when supporting families through grief.