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Early childhood bereavement
E M Kranzler1, D Shaffer, G Wasserman
1Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NY 10032.
Insights
Preschool children experiencing parental loss showed more behavioral symptoms and negative emotions. The ability to express grief correlated with better functioning, highlighting the impact of environmental factors.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Grief Studies
Background:
- Preschool children's responses to acute bereavement are not well understood.
- Parental death in early childhood presents unique developmental challenges.
Purpose of the Study:
- To prospectively assess acute bereavement responses in preschool children.
- To compare bereaved children with nonbereaved controls.
- To explore the relationship between emotional expression and functioning in grieving children.
Main Methods:
- Prospective assessment of 26 parentally bereaved children (3-6 years) and 40 matched controls.
- Utilized the Child Behavior Checklist (Parent report) for symptom assessment.
- Employed a standardized affect interview for preschoolers to gauge emotional experiences.
Main Results:
- Bereaved children, particularly boys, exhibited significantly more symptoms.
- Bereaved children reported increased fear and decreased happiness.
- Bereaved girls reported heightened sadness concerning their parents; ability to report emotions correlated with improved functioning.
- Children from families with post-death income drops were more symptomatic.
- Parent and child disturbances were highly correlated.
Conclusions:
- Preschoolers exhibit distinct grief responses, with gender-specific emotional expressions.
- The capacity to articulate grief emotions is linked to better psychological functioning.
- Environmental factors, such as socioeconomic changes, significantly mediate bereavement outcomes in young children.
- Parental and child distress are closely intertwined following a parent's death.
Abstract:
Acute bereavement responses in preschool children were prospectively assessed. Parentally bereaved subjects (26, 3- to 6-year-olds) were compared with matched, nonbereaved controls (N = 40). Bereaved subjects, particularly boys, were significantly more symptomatic (Child Behavior Checklist--Parent). On a newly standardized affect interview for preschoolers, bereaved children reported feeling more scared and less happy than controls. Bereaved children, especially girls, reported significantly more sadness when thinking about their parents. The ability to report these grieving emotions correlated significantly with improved functioning. Children from families experiencing a drop in income after the death were more symptomatic. Disturbance among subject parents and children was highly correlated. Issues of developmental capacity to grieve and the impact of environmental mediators are discussed.