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Intergenerational family support following infant death
Diana L White1, Alexis J Walker, Leslie N Richards
1Institute on Aging, Portland State University, Portland, OR 97207, USA. dwhi@pdx.edu
International Journal of Aging & Human Development
|December 4, 2008
Summary
Grandparents provide crucial support to adult children after infant death, though family dynamics and ambivalent relationships can complicate this process. Understanding these intergenerational connections is key to navigating grief.
Area of Science:
- Family Studies
- Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Child death is a profound, nonnormative family trauma.
- Parental bereavement is well-researched, but extended family impacts, especially intergenerational support, are less understood.
- Existing research lacks focus on how multiple family members perceive and respond to each other following a child's death.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine social support dynamics between grandparents and adult children after infant death.
- To explore how intergenerational support is provided and received within families experiencing child loss.
- To understand the influence of family relationships and individual factors on bereavement support.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a life course perspective to guide the study.
- Conducted structured, open-ended interviews with 21 grandparents and 19 parents across 10 families.
- Employed a grounded theory approach for data analysis.
Main Results:
- Identified six categories of support: being present, acknowledgment, performing immediate tasks, information, unskilled support, and no support.
- Grandparents predominantly provided support to adult children, more so than vice versa.
- All families received significant support from at least one grandparent; ambivalent relationships and factors like gender, lineage, and family history influenced support dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Intergenerational support is vital following infant death, primarily flowing from grandparents to parents.
- Family relationships, including ambivalent dynamics, significantly shape the provision and reception of support.
- Considering multiple family perspectives enhances understanding of individual and family adaptation to profound loss.
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