The aim of this study was to examine the impact of end-of-life (EoL) circumstances on grief and internalizing symptoms among bereaved siblings. Bereaved families (N = 88) were recruited from three sites 3-12 months (M = 11.57, SD = 3.48) after their…
BACKGROUND: It has been argued that having a stillborn baby in the family affects older siblings more than parents realize. The aim of this study was to describe parenthood and the needs of siblings after stillbirth from the parents' perspective.…
The grief process in bereaved children is conceptualized as a series of psychological tasks that must be accomplished over time. Early tasks include understanding and self-protection
This study reports the effects of sibling death on 33 adolescents from white, middle- to upper-middle income families. Contact was made through mutual support groups for bereaved parents. A focused interview was used to gather data on bereavement…
We investigated longitudinally parental perceptions of siblings' bereavement after childhood cancer death. Parents were interviewed 6 months (n = 25) and 18 months (n = 75) post-death. Data are analyzed combined and over time. The following themes…
While our understanding of adolescent bereavement has greatly expanded in recent years, one area yet to be clarified is the relationship between grief following a significant loss and spirituality. This article strengthens our understanding of this…
Two million children experience sibling death annually and have problems that require clinical intervention although few receive such help. Effects on surviving siblings' mental health has been well documented, however their physical health has not.…
Death or disability is much more common in multiple births than single children, especially in the perinatal period. Parents face particular problems in that their loss may be underestimated; their grieving may be impeded by the confusion between the…
The purpose of this article is to explore the concept of perinatal grief and evidence-based healing interventions for it. The loss of a pregnancy or death of an infant causes profound grief, yet society has long minimized or ignored this grief, which…
Previously overlooked factors in elders' depressive symptomatology were examined, including death fear, sibling death, and sibling closeness. Participants were 150 elders (61 men, 89 women) aged 65-97 years with at least one sibling. Measures were…
This article explores ways in which siblings and child friends are represented as being involved in death and loss experiences. These representations are taken from 51 selected examples of death-related literature designed to be read by or with…
Despite the marked improvement in the treatment of childhood cancer in recent decades, there are children who die, leaving behind a legacy of grief for all who knew them, including their siblings. Nurses can play a significant role in facilitating…
The experience of sibling bereavement is relatively unexamined in the literature; the long-term effects of such an experience have received even less attention. In this study, grounded theory techniques for the analysis of qualitative data were used…
This study explored the experiences and needs of nine parents who had received hospital-based bereavement support following the death of their child from cancer, in Western Australia. Six prominent themes emerged from thematic data analysis: personal…
This project investigated siblings' perceptions of family disruption when a brother or sister had cystic fibrosis (CF) or asthma. Data were gathered by phone interviews and questionnaires. Phone interviews were conducted with siblings of chronically…
Developmental changes in children's acquisition of death concepts and in their emotional reactions are reviewed. Moderating variables that may affect the nature of grieving processes after parental or sibling death are discussed, including…
Purpose:To assess adolescent and young adult siblings' perception of social support prior to and following the loss of their brother or sister to cancer, 2 to 9 years earlier, and their anxiety at follow-up. Method: In 2009, 174 (73%) bereaved…
This study aims to capture parental descriptions of how siblings take leave of and mourn a stillborn brother or sister and how their parents support them. Data were collected by questionnaires from 16 parents of siblings to a stillborn child one year…
CONCLUSIONS: Although death in the NICU often has a brief course, consequences for survivor siblings can be life-long. Siblings born both before and after the death of an infant may be at risk and in need of psychological support. Family rituals and…
The authors explored the long-term consequences for adolescents of surviving a sibling afflicted with cystic fibrosis. Seventy-five adults were interviewed whose siblings had died from cystic fibrosis in the 1960s and 1970s. Subjects were drawn from…
This qualitative study explored bereaved parents’ and siblings’ reports of legacies created by children with advanced cancer. Participants included 40 families of children who died from cancer, with 36 mothers, 27 fathers, and 40 siblings (ages 8-18…
IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Our findings offer guidance to improve aftercare for bereaved siblings and their families. Additional research is needed to further delineate the needs of bereaved siblings and to develop strategies to promote adaptation to…
OBJECTIVES: To compare peer relationships among bereaved siblings and matched classmates, and to examine gender, grade level, and time since death as moderators. METHODS: Families were recruited from cancer registries at four hospitals 3-12 months…
When a child dies, the survivors-both parents and the remaining children—must adapt to a new reality. The immediate effect of sibling death is to precipitate grief and to increase the psychologic vulnerability of the remaining children. Communication…
When a child is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, such as cancer, there is much disruption to the family. It is a struggle for parents to divide their time between the hospital, home, and other healthy siblings. Nurses strive to provide…
The aim of this study was to identify and describe resilience qualities in families after losing a child. Questionnaires, including an open-ended question, were utilized to collect data independently from the parents and siblings of the deceased in…
A total of 21 healthy siblings were interviewed about their experiences when a brother or sister is diagnosed with cancer. Information about the illness, opinions about who should inform siblings, social support, specific worries and worst memories…
The intensity of sibling grief and the significance of sibling mourning are described in research studies. Yet, nurses caring for dying children may be unaware of these findings and may not offer adequate support to assist siblings in working through…
The stress and psychological difficulties of siblings of children with cancer is well documented. Siblings must cope with a myriad of emotions, isolation from the family, and many changes in daily life. Therefore, a need exists to determine the…
A taxonomy of the adolescent sibling bereavement process was developed from the responses of 157 bereaved adolescents to the question "If you could ask or tell your dead sibling something, what would it be?" The taxonomy had six mutually exclusive…
A taxonomy of the things that help and hinder adolescents' sibling bereavement was developed from the responses of 140 bereaved adolescents to the questions What helped you cope with your sibling's death? and What made it harder to cope with your…
Several studies have been conducted on sibling psychosocial adaptation to cancer in a brother or sister, but little is known on how the long-term adaptation of siblings to the illness develops. The concept quality of life has primarily been applied…
BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study is to describe the quality of life (QoL) of siblings of children with cancer and to predict it according to their health before the diagnosis of cancer in the ill child and their ways of coping with the…
This study investigated behavioural problems (as rated by mothers) in 38 children who had been suddenly bereaved of an infant sibling between 3 and 27 months previously. These children were compared with 40 children matched on age, gender, family…
