Interactive Processes in Grief and Couples' Adjustment After the Death of a Child
Bereavement; Grief; Human; Interpersonal Relations; Emotions; Semi-Structured Interview; Support Psychosocial; Grounded Theory; Infant Death -- Psychosocial Factors; Empathy; Parents -- Psychosocial Factors
The death of a child is an individual process of grief but also a context of significant relational processes, which have been only rarely considered in research. The aim of this study was to examine the interactive processes within bereaved parents. Eighteen married bereaved parents were interviewed individually. The semistructured script included questions about the couples' relationship after the death of the child, particularly the relational dynamics and the association between the individual and relational realms. Data analysis using constructivist grounded theory allowed for the development of a circular hypothesis, suggesting that parents' individual grief influences and is influenced by the couple's relationship and partner support, involving interdependence and patterns of emotional transmission (empathy and emotion contagion) within the couple. The findings suggested that psychological interventions should include the dyadic level to optimize mutual support and the benefits obtained within marital interactions.
Albuquerque S; Ferreira L C; Narciso I; Pereira M
Journal of Family Issues
2019
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/10.1177/0192513X18820385" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">10.1177/0192513X18820385</a>
Meaning and coping orientation of bereaved parents: Individual and dyadic processes
Adaptation Psychological; Bereavement; Child; Female; Humans; Male; Parents/ Psychology
The present study aimed to examine whether bereaved parents “meaning-made”–defined as results of attempts to reduce discrepancies between the meaning assigned to the death of the child and self and world-views—was influenced by their own and their partner’s coping orientations. Coping orientations were conceptualized within the Dual Process Model, which entails loss coping orientation (LO; focus on the loss itself), restoration coping orientations (RO; focus on stressors that come about as an indirect consequence of the bereavement), and a flexible oscillation between both coping orientations. The sample consisted of 227 couples identified through obituary notices in local and national newspapers, who provided data at 6, 13, and 20 months after the death of their child. At all three points of measurement, both partners independently completed the Dual Coping Inventory (DCI) and a scale developed by the authors about meaning-made from the loss. Data were analyzed using a multi-level Actor-Partner Interdependence Model. Results show that the combination of parents’ own LO and RO (operationalized through the interaction effect between LO and RO) have a positive effect in parents’ meaning-made. Partners’ LO have a negative effect in parents’ meaning-made. These results highlight the importance of, in the context of parental bereavement, being flexible by using both coping orientations, and of acknowledging the interdependence between partners, namely, the interpersonal process by which partner’s coping affect one’s meaning-made.
Albuquerque S; Buyukcan-Tetik A; Stroebe MS; Schut HAW; Narciso I; Pereira M; Finkenauer C
Plos One
2017
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="https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0178861" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer">10.1371/journal.pone.0178861</a>
Dyadic Coping Mediates The Relationship Between Parents' Grief And Dyadic Adjustment Following The Loss Of A Child
Death Circumstances; Death Of A Child; Dyadic Adjustment; Dyadic Coping; Grief Response
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine forms of dyadic coping (DC) as mediators of the association between parents' grief response and dyadic adjustment and to determine whether these indirect effects were moderated by the child's type of death, timing of death, and age. DESIGN: The study design was cross-sectional. METHOD: The sample consisted of 197 bereaved parents. Participants completed the Prolonged Grief Disorder Scale, Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale, and Dyadic Coping Inventory. RESULTS: Significant indirect effects of parents' grief response on dyadic adjustment were found through stress communication by oneself and by the partner, positive and negative DC by the partner, and joint DC. The timing of death moderated the association between grief response and dyadic adjustment and between joint DC and dyadic adjustment. Grief response was negatively associated with dyadic adjustment only when the death occurred after birth. Grief response was negatively associated with joint DC, which, in turn, was positively associated with dyadic adjustment, when the death occurred both before and after birth. However, the association was stronger in the latter. CONCLUSIONS: Specific forms of DC might be mechanisms through which grief response is associated with dyadic adjustment and should be promoted in clinical practice.
Albuquerque S; Narciso I; Pereira M
Anxiety Stress Coping
2017
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).
10.1080/10615806.2017.1363390
Posttraumatic Growth In Bereaved Parents: A Multidimensional Model Of Associated Factors
OBJECTIVE: Although the death of a child is a devastating event, recent evidence shows that personal growth is a relevant outcome of parents' grief. This study aimed to examine the factors associated with posttraumatic growth (PTG) and to propose a multidimensional model consisting of sociodemographic, situational, and intrapersonal and interpersonal factors. METHOD: A sample (N = 197; 89.8% female; mean age = 39.44 years) of bereaved parents completed the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory-Short Form, the 14-Item Resilience Scale, the Continuing Bonds Scale, and the Dyadic Coping Inventory. RESULTS: The final model consisted of sociodemographic, situational, intrapersonal, and interpersonal factors of PTG, which accounted for 36.7% of the variance. Higher levels of PTG were generally associated with female sex, younger age of the child, higher levels of resilience, higher levels of internalized continuing bonds (i.e., internal representation of the child, maintaining psychological proximity), and higher levels of stress communication by the partner (communicating the stress experience and requesting emotional or practical support). CONCLUSIONS: In clinical practice, health professionals assisting bereaved parents should pay attention to men and parents of older children, who might be at higher risk of difficulties in developing PTG. Additionally, promoting a more internalized bond with the child, resilience and dyadic coping, especially stress communication, can constitute important therapeutic goals. (PsycINFO Database Record
Albuquerque S; Narciso I; Pereira M
Psychol Trauma
2017
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).
DOI: 10.1037/tra0000305