Bereaved parents’ experience of support groups following perinatal bereavement: a thematic synthesis

Support groups play an essential role in caring for parents experiencing perinatal death and bereavement. However, there is very little data on the effectiveness of these services on their well-being. To better understand the experience of bereaved parents using support group services, a qualitative systematic review was conducted using Thomas and Harden’s method. Seven databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, PsycARTICLES, Cairn, Érudit, and Repère) were searched in October 2017 with an update in June 2021. A total of 16 studies were included and critically evaluated. The thematic synthesis made it possible to generate four analytical themes to describe parents’ experience according to the notion of spaces. The first theme refers to external space, i.e., the format of the support groups (virtual or face-to-face), and the other three themes reflect internal spaces, i.e., the functions of the groups (support, expression, and learning). This thematic synthesis confirms that participating in support groups benefits bereaved parents. It also offers possible solutions to improve the structure and accessibility of support groups.