Youth's Coping Dynamics in Responding to Parental Bereavement: A Thematic Synthesis

This review is intended to synthesize the available qualitative evidence on youths' experiences and perceptions of parental bereavement, developing analytical themes that illuminate both individual grief processes and their embeddedness within relational contexts, thereby advancing theoretical frameworks and informing comprehensive support approaches. Thematic synthesis was adopted for this study and reported following the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) statement. A systematic search was conducted across four databases from inception to January 2025. Qualitative studies and mixed-method studies that presented youth's experiences with and perceptions of parental bereavement in peer-reviewed journals were included. Three authors (HRC, XZ, and DYB) independently screened the search results and extracted data from the publications. A total of 6,610 articles were identified, 77 articles were included in the full-text assessment, and 19 studies were included. As the result of thematic synthesis, two analytical themes and four sub-themes within each analytical theme were developed as follows: 'journey of bereavement and selfhood' founded on four sub-themes of 'responses and coping with the bereavement,' 'growth,' 'fundamental reasoning,' and 'continued connection with the deceased' and 'grounding in the relational context' with four sub-themes of 'family dynamics,' 'peer relationships,' 'professional support,' and 'school environment.' Youth experiencing parental bereavement navigate a complex journey of bereavement and selfhood while being grounded in relational contexts, including family, peers, professionals, and school environments. Support approaches should therefore address both developmental needs and grief processes-potentially incorporating physical activities alongside psychological supports-while recognizing bereavement as simultaneously an individual journey and a relationally situated experience.