Gender Differences in Depressive Symptoms Following Child Death in Later
Child; Female; Male; Prognosis; United States; Risk Factors; Bereavement; Parent-Child Relations; Adult; Age Factors; Mortality; Sex Factors; Middle Age; Adaptation Psychological; Fathers; Aged; Depression; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Human; Father-Child Relations; Evaluation; Only Child; Funding Source; Trends; Vulnerability; Psychosocial Factors; Comparative Studies; Recovery; In Adulthood; In Middle Age; In Old Age
Objectives: This study examined short- and long-term psychological adjustment to parental bereavement in later life for mothers and fathers. Methods: Using 9 waves of data from the United States (1998-2014 Health and Retirement Study), I estimated trajectories of mothers' and fathers' depressive symptoms surrounding child death in later life, highlighting gender differences in adjustment. Moderation analyses were performed to uncover heterogeneous trajectories across parental characteristics. Results: Mothers were more likely to experience child death and reported higher depressive symptoms prior to parental bereavement than fathers. Mothers and fathers who lost a child reported an increase in depressive symptoms that diminished over time. The short-term elevation in depressive symptoms was marginally greater for mothers than fathers, but depressive symptoms declined at a faster rate for mothers than fathers in the years following the death. These counterbalancing changes resulted in mothers and fathers returning to their respective prebereavement levels of depressive symptoms between 2 and 4 years postbereavement. Parental age moderated trajectories distinctly by gender, and the presence of surviving children buffered the impact of child death on depressive symptoms for mothers but not fathers. Discussion: Mothers more often experience child death in later life and their adjustment process differs from that of fathers, underscoring the salience of gender in shaping how older parents respond to the death of a child. Older parents and mothers without surviving children are vulnerable to prolonged elevations in depressive symptoms following the death of a child in later life.
Mellencamp KA
Journals of Gerontology: Series B
2023
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<a href="http://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbac189" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1093/geronb/gbac189</a>
Relational Sequelae of Fetal Death During the First Pregnancy: A Qualitative Study on the Subjective Perceptions of the Relationship Between Mothers and Their Adult Subsequent Firstborn Children
Adult; Female; Fetal; Death; Humans; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers; Pregnancy; Qualitative Research; adult; subsequent; firstborn; children; attachment; fetal; death
Perinatal loss may deeply affect the attachment relationships of mothers and their next-born children. The aim was to explore the subjective perceptions of mothers, who had fetal death during the first pregnancy, and their adult subsequent firstborn children regarding the impact of the perinatal loss on the mother-child relationship and children's self-perception. Fifteen mothers who experienced a fetal death during the first pregnancy and their adult subsequent firstborn children were interviewed. A Grounded Theory approach was used. Five main themes were identified: fetal death as a real loss producing prolonged grief; the importance of the communication about the dead sibling; creating and maintaining a relationship with the lost sibling; the mother-subsequent child relationship: between detachment and overprotection; significant effects of fetal death on adult subsequent children's self-perception. Results highlighted a deep impact of fetal death on the subsequent mother-child relationship, as perceived by both mothers and adult children.
Saccardo C; Calvo V
Omega
2022
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1177/0030222820950891">10.1177/0030222820950891</a>
Mothers of angels: (re)living the death of the child as a coping strategy
Adult; Attitude to Death; Child; Coping; Data Analysis Software; Death -- In Infancy and Childhood; Descriptive Research; Exploratory Research; Focus Groups; Hardiness; Human; Mother-Child Relations; Mothers -- Psychosocial Factors; Qualitative Studies; Thematic Analysis
Objective: To describe the experiences lived by mothers facing the death of their children. Method: A qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research conducted in Guarapuava-PR, with six participants of the "Marias" group that brings together mothers who lost their children and share their experiences to spontaneously help other women in the process of mourning. Data collection took place from May to August 2017, through a focus group. The speeches were organized by the Iramuteq® software and analyzed according to Creswell. Results: Age ranged from 28 to 40 years old, and most participants were married and catholic. The categories express the need to strengthen bonds and to create ways in which women can express themselves; the importance of the social network to accommodate mourning; the relevance of ethical and humanized care; and group identity as an element to promote resilience. Conclusion and implications for practice: Describing the potentialities and weaknesses in the process of loss and grief enables a qualifying and humanizing care, overcoming care gaps, stimulating the creation of creative and dialogical spaces in maternal care. These results may guide the professional approach by considering the sociocultural context and the risk factors experienced by the mothers, by supporting the development of resilient skills and enabling a humanized and individualized care. Objetivo: Describir las experiencias vivenciadas por las madres frente a la muerte de sus hijos. Método: Investigación descriptiva, exploratoria y cualitativa realizada en Guarapuava-PR, con seis participantes del grupo "Marías" que reúne a madres que perdieron a sus hijos y comparten sus vivencias además de ayudar a otras mujeres espontáneamente en el proceso de duelo. Los datos se recolectaron entre mayo y agosto de 2017, por medio de un grupo focal. Las conversaciones se organizaron por medio del software Iramuteq® y se analizaron según Creswell. Resultados: La edad varió entre 28 y 40 años, y la mayoría de las participantes estaban casadas y eran católicas. Las categorías expresan la necesidad de fortalecer vínculos y de crear medios con los que las mujeres puedan expresarse; la importancia de la red social para sobrellevar el duelo; la relevancia de una atención ética y humanizada y la identidad grupal como elemento promotor de la resiliencia. Conclusión e implicaciones para la práctica: Describir las potencialidades y debilidades en el proceso de pérdida y duelo permite calificar y humanizar el cuidado, superando las lagunas asistenciales y estimulando la creación de espacios creativos y de diálogo en el cuidado materno. Estos resultados pueden orientar el enfoque profesional al considerar el contexto sociocultural y los factores de riesgo que experimentan las madres, apoyando el desarrollo de habilidades resilientes y haciendo posible un cuidado humanizado e individualizado. Objetivo: Descrever as experiências vivenciadas pelas mães frente à morte do filho. Método: Pesquisa descritiva exploratória qualitativa realizada em Guarapuava-PR, junto a seis participantes do grupo "Marias" que reúne mães que perderam seus filhos e compartilham suas vivências além de ajudar outras mulheres espontaneamente no processo de luto. A coleta de dados ocorreu de maio e agosto/2017, por meio de grupo focal. As falas foram organizadas pelo software Iramuteq® e analisada segundo Creswell. Resultados: Idade variou entre 28 a 40 anos, maioria casadas e católicas. As categorias expressam a necessidade fortalecer vínculos e criar meios em que possam se expressar; importância da rede social para acolher o luto; relevância do atendimento ético e humanizado e a identidade grupal como elemento promotor da resiliência. Conclusão e implicações para a prática: Descrever as potencialidades e fragilidades no processo de perda e luto possibilita qualificar e humanizar o cuidado, com a superação de lacunas assistenciais estimulando a criação de espaços criativos e dialógicos no acolhimento materno. Estes resultados podem orientar a abordagem profissional ao considerar o contexto cultural, social e fatores de risco em que as mães vivenciam, ao apoiar o desenvolvimento de habilidades resilientes e possibilitando um cuidado humanizado e individualizado.
Gramazio Soares L; Kuchla É; de Azevedo Mazza V; Gramazio Soares L; Raimondo Ferraz M I; Padilha Mattei A
Anna Nery School Journal of Nursing / Escola Anna Nery Revista de Enfermagem
2020
Article information provided for research and reference use only. PedPalASCNET does not hold any rights over the resource listed here. All rights are retained by the journal listed under publisher and/or the creator(s).
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1590/2177-9465-EAN-2019-0030" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1590/2177-9465-EAN-2019-0030</a>
A mother's perspective: the power of holistic care for the terminally ill child
Child; Humans; mothers; Terminal Care; Terminally Ill; Family; Adult; Mother-Child Relations; Life Change Events; Hospitals; Leukemia; Holistic Nursing; Altruism; Pediatric; Gift Giving
This is the account of a mother who lived through the 5-year experience of watching her child fight and finally succumb to a genetic disorder. Lessons about caring practices and insights into the needs of patients and families are emphasized.
2013-04
Dolan P
Holistic Nursing Practice
2013
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/HNP.0b013e318280f83c" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1097/HNP.0b013e318280f83c</a>
Bereaved Jewish mothers of children who died of cancer: the relationship between the mother and the deceased child and the mother's perceived functioning
adolescent; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Male; Death; mothers; Neoplasms; Adult; Mother-Child Relations; Questionnaires; Middle Aged; Sampling Studies; Adaptation; Psychological; Grief; Jews
BACKGROUND: Coping with grief after a child's death is a complex and dynamic process. The Two-Track Model of Bereavement, which served as the theoretical framework for this study, examines biopsychosocial reactions to bereavement (track I) and attachment to the deceased (track II). OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to identify differences in mothers' perceived functioning between bereaved mothers and mothers of children with cancer, describe mother-child relationships and relationship development over the course of illness and death, and describe the association between the 2 tracks. METHODS: A quantitative cross-sectional study of 50 Jewish bereaved mothers and a matched comparison group of 50 Jewish mothers to children with cancer aged 6 to 18 years completed structured questionnaires. RESULTS: No difference was found between the groups in overall maternal functioning. Bereaved mothers keep a relationship with their deceased child. Among mothers of currently ill children, there was a difference in the mean score of the mother-child relationship with the child before and after the cancer diagnosis. A negative correlation was found between the bereaved mother's relationship with the deceased child and her functioning; this was not found in the comparison group. CONCLUSIONS: Mother-child relationships become closer following the cancer diagnosis and change further following the child's death. The relationship with the deceased child is an integral part of the bereaved mother's life and influences her functioning. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Training programs for nurses need to be developed to help nurses be sensitive to maternal loss and grief and to incorporate the bereaved mother's relationship with her deceased child into interventions.
2013-10
Peles BA; Malkinson R; Krulik T
Cancer Nursing
2013
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/NCC.0b013e31827eecab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1097/NCC.0b013e31827eecab</a>
Posttraumatic growth in mothers of children with acquired disabilities.
Parents; Mother-Child Relations; Disabled Persons; Longitudinal Studies; Stress Disorders; disabled children; Post-Traumatic; Disabilities; Disability; mothers; Maternal Behavior; Posttraumatic growth; Post-Traumatic; Posttraumatic growth
Stress, burden, and sorrow are not surprising responses for mothers of children who acquire life-altering disabilities. What is largely unforeseen is how maternal caregivers transform in positive ways through trauma and diversity. This article offers first person accounts from mothers about elements of posttraumatic growth that unexpectedly emerged and coexisted with the rigors and emotional strains of raising their newly physically challenged children. Also noted is the unanticipated potential for growth that occurs in the process of conducting “insider†research.
2006
Konrad SC
Journal Of Loss And Trauma
2006
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1080/15325020500358274" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1080/15325020500358274</a>
Physical and mental health of mothers caring for a child with Rett syndrome
Child; Female; Humans; Male; Adult; Emotions; Mother-Child Relations; Middle Aged; Family Relations; Health Status; Mental Health; Family Health; adolescent; Preschool; Caregivers/psychology; Psychological; Stress; social support; disabled children; Telemeres; Employment; Fractures; Bone/etiology/nursing; Rett Syndrome/complications/nursing
OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to investigate the physical and mental health of mothers who care for a child with Rett syndrome. METHODS: We assessed maternal physical and mental health by using the SF-12 version 1 physical component summary and mental component summary scores as the outcome measures of interest. Mothers (n = 135) of children with Rett syndrome completed the SF-12 measure as part of the Australian Rett Syndrome Study in 2002. The analysis investigated linear relationships between physical and mental health scores and maternal, family, and child characteristics. RESULTS: Mothers ranged in age from 21 to 60 years and their children from 3 to 27 years. Nearly half of these mothers (47.4%) indicated that they worked full-time or part-time outside the home, and 41% had a combined family (gross) income of <40,000 Australian dollars. The resultant model for physical health demonstrated that the following factors were positively associated with better maternal physical health: the mother working full-time or part-time outside the home, having some high school education, having private health insurance, the child not having breathing problems in the last 2 years, the child not having home-based structured therapy, and high scores on the Family Resource Scale (indicating adequacy of time resources for basic and family needs). The resultant model for mental health demonstrated that the following factors were positively associated with better maternal mental health: the mother working full-time or part-time outside the home, the child not having a fracture in the last 2 years, lesser reporting of facial stereotypes and involuntary facial movements, being in a well-adjusted marriage, and having low stress scores. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the most important predictors of maternal physical and emotional health are child behavior, caregiver demands, and family function.
2006
Laurvick CL; Msall ME; Silburn S; Bower C; de Klerk N; Leonard H
Pediatrics
2006
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2006-0439" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1542/peds.2006-0439</a>
Inter-religious perspectives on hope and limits in cancer treatment: one Buddhist chaplain's response to the case
Humans; Prognosis; Family Health; PedPal Lit; decision making; Palliative Care; Religion; Buddhism; Mother-Child Relations; Neoplasms/drug therapy/pathology/psychology
2005
Corbett-Hemeyer J
Journal Of Clinical Oncology
2005
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Journal Article
Changes in mothers' basic beliefs following a child's bone marrow transplantation: the role of prior trauma and negative life events
Child; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Adult; Attitude to Health; Mother-Child Relations; Health Status; Longitudinal Studies; Mental Health; P.H.S.; Research Support; U.S. Gov't; Adaptation; Psychological; Psychological; Stress; Bone Marrow Transplantation/psychology; Wounds and Injuries/psychology
This longitudinal study examined the relation between life stress and basic beliefs about self-worth and the benevolence and meaningfulness of the world among mothers of children undergoing bone marrow transplantation (BMT). One hundred mothers completed study measures during the child's hospitalization for BMT and 1 year later. Prior trauma and recent negative events were associated with basic beliefs during hospitalization and also with changes in basic beliefs in the subsequent year, with distress mediating some of these relations. Findings also demonstrated relations between basic beliefs and physical and mental functioning. However, each basic belief exhibited different relations with study variables, suggesting the need to investigate them separately.
Rini C; Manne S; DuHamel KN; Austin J; Ostroff J; Boulad F; Parsons SK; Martini R; Williams S; Mee L; Sexson S; Redd WH
Journal Of Traumatic Stress
2004
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1023/B:JOTS.0000038481.17167.0d" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1023/B:JOTS.0000038481.17167.0d</a>
Mothers' experience of social support following the death of a child
Child; Female; Humans; Male; Grief; Adult; Data Collection; Interpersonal Relations; Mother-Child Relations; Questionnaires; Attitude to Death; Nurse's Role; Finland; Preschool; Adaptation; Psychological; Mothers/psychology; social support
1. This study aimed at analysing the grief and coping of mothers whose child had died under the age of 7 years. The paper describes the social support received as experienced by mothers. 2. Data were collected using a survey (n=91) and interviews (n=50) with mothers who had lost their child at least 1 year previously. The questionnaire contained questions concerning background characteristics, the Hogan Grief Reaction Checklist and open-ended questions. Survey data were analysed using a two-way analysis of variance, Wilcoxon test, cross-tabulation and content analysis. Interview data were analysed using inductive content analysis. 3. Findings showed that the spouse, children, grandparents, next of kin, friends and colleagues were the main sources of support. 4. Support consisted of emotional support, informational and instrumental support, and consolation and caring. Informational support consisted of advice and guidance from the mother's own mother or fellow sufferers. Instrumental support consisted of assistance with practical issues. Negative support manifested itself in unwarranted interference by relatives in the family's affairs or breaking up of friendships. 5. Mothers expected professional practitioners to provide honest information about the dying child's illness and practical arrangements after the child's death, and to keep up hope as long as the child was alive. 6. The care facility was also expected to maintain contact with the family after the child's death.
2002
Laakso H; Paunonen-Ilmonen M
Journal Of Clinical Nursing
2002
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2702.2002.00611.x" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1046/j.1365-2702.2002.00611.x</a>
Exposure to maternal depression and marital conflict: gender differences in children's later mental health symptoms
Child; Female; Humans; Male; Mother-Child Relations; Child Psychology; Sex Factors; Conflict (Psychology); Mothers/psychology; Parent caregivers; Marriage/psychology; Mental Disorders/psychology; Depressive Disorder/diagnosis
OBJECTIVE: To investigate effects of the timing of initial exposure to maternal depression and marital conflict on kindergarten children's mental health symptoms. METHOD: For 406 families (of 570 originally recruited), mothers reported on major depression and marital conflict on multiple occasions in the child's infancy and toddler/preschool periods. Mothers and teachers completed the MacArthur Health and Behavior Questionnaire when children were in kindergarten. RESULTS: Children evidenced co-occurring internalizing and externalizing symptoms, although the mix was more toward internalizing for girls and externalizing for boys. Symptoms were more severe among children exposed to either adversity, and these effects were additive. Boys exposed to maternal depression in infancy had a preponderance of internalizing behaviors, but if subsequently exposed to marital conflict, the mix toward externalizing behaviors increased to match levels of clinic-referred children. For girls, the preponderance of internalizing symptoms increased to match levels of clinic-referred children when initial exposure to marital conflict occurred in the toddler/preschool period. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to consider both adversities across developmental periods, to distinguish the symptom severity from directionality, and to consider child gender. Prevention and intervention efforts that consider these findings are warranted.
2003
Essex MJ; Klein MH; Cho E; Kraemer HC
Journal Of The American Academy Of Child And Adolescent Psychiatry
2003
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/01.CHI.0000046849.56865.1D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1097/01.CHI.0000046849.56865.1D</a>
Mothers' perceptions of benefit following pediatric stem cell transplantation: a longitudinal investigation of the roles of optimism, medical risk, and sociodemographic resources
Child; Female; Hospitalization; Humans; Male; Adult; Mother-Child Relations; Attitude; Longitudinal Studies; Risk Factors; Social Class; Regression Analysis; Perception; adolescent; Preschool; P.H.S.; Research Support; U.S. Gov't; Adaptation; Psychological; infant; Psychological; Stress; social support; Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
BACKGROUND: This longitudinal study investigated the course and predictors of benefit finding among 144 mothers of children undergoing hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), a severely stressful and life-threatening medical procedure. PURPOSE: Children's medical risk and mothers' dispositional optimism and sociodemographic resources were examined as predictors of benefit finding. The association between benefit finding and mothers' psychosocial adaptation was also investigated. METHODS: Assessments occurred during hospitalization for HSCT (Time 1 [T1]) and 6 months later (Time 2 [T2]). RESULTS: Hierarchial multiple regression analyses revealed that predictors of benefit finding differed systematically across assessments, with optimism and medical risk predicting benefit finding at both time points but sociodemographic resources predicting only T2 benefit findings. Benefit finding did not predict psychosocial adaptation until optimism was considered as a moderator of their relation: T1 benefit finding was positively associated with T2 adaptation only for mothers high in optimism. CONCLUSION: The need for longitudinal research on posttrauma adaptation and the utility of considering the natural history of the trauma are discussed.
Rini C; Manne S; DuHamel KN; Austin J; Ostroff J; Boulad F; Parsons SK; Martini R; Williams SE; Mee L; Sexson S; Redd WH
Annals Of Behavioral Medicine: A Publication Of The Society Of Behavioral Medicine
2004
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1207/s15324796abm2802_9" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1207/s15324796abm2802_9</a>
Experiences of mothers in five countries whose child died of cancer
Child; Female; Humans; Male; United States; Palliative Care; Adult; Canada; Mother-Child Relations; Middle Aged; Attitude to Death; Cross-Cultural Comparison; adolescent; Preschool; bereavement; infant; Greece; Norway; Oncologic Nursing; Hong Kong; Neoplasms/nursing/psychology/therapy
Although increasing attention is being focused on the emotional aspects of caring for dying children and their families, few research reports concentrate on the experiences of mothers, particularly in different countries. This article describes the findings of an exploratory, descriptive study that investigated the experiences of mothers from five different countries who each had a child die from cancer in the past 6 months. Principal investigators, members of the International Work Group on Death, Dying, and Bereavement, conducted semistructured interviews with 21 mothers in their own countries. No culturally related differences were noted among mothers, and the mothers' recall of their experiences are more similar than different. All mothers, irrespective of country, described similar reactions to the diagnosis, management of the end-stage illness, and challenge of coping with bereavement. Lessons learned from this project provide suggestions for future research across countries.
1998
Davies B; Deveau E; deVeber B; Howell D; Martinson I; Papadatou D; Pask E; Stevens M
Cancer Nursing
1998
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Journal Article
<a href="http://doi.org/10.1097/00002820-199810000-00001" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1097/00002820-199810000-00001</a>
Maternal mourning: pain and coping with the loss of a baby
Grief; Infant Mortality; Mother-child Relations; Nursing
Objective: to understand how mothers experienced the experience of their babies' mourning. Methods: this is a qualitative study, conducted with nine mothers who experienced the loss of a child under one year. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the reports were organized using the Collective Subject Discourse. Results: the participants indicated the complexity and difficulties of the mourning process, implying a grief that lasted but could be overcome through spirituality and family support. They also showed the lack of support from the health services. Conclusion: although mourning is a complex and peculiar process, the mothers pointed out the importance of the spirituality and support of their relatives, but highlighted the lack of support from the health services.
Lopes BG; Borges PKD; Grden CRB; Coradassi CE; Sales CD; Damasceno NFP
Revista Da Rede De Enfermagem Do Nordeste
2017
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<a href="http://doi.org/10.15253/2175-6783.2017000300004" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.15253/2175-6783.2017000300004</a>