Topic: What are the experiences of bereaved family after losing a child?

Thesis Statement:

Arnold and gemma 2008

The death of a child is an incomprehensible and devastating loss. Grief for parents is
lifelong, becoming the connection between parent and child. To extend and deepen
current understanding of parental grief, a new survey instrument was developed,
combining quantitative and qualitative measures. The qualitative findings from this
combined methodological study are presented. Parental grief themes are derived from
the respondents' descriptions of their grief resulting in a reformulation of parental grief.

Arnold and Gemma 1994

Children are not supposed to die...Parents expect to see their children grow and mature.
Ultimately, parents expect to die and leave their children behind...This is the natural course of
life events, the life cycle continuing as it should. The loss of a child is the loss of innocence, the
death of the most vulnerable and dependent. The death of a child signifies the loss of the future,
of hopes and dreams, of new strength, and of perfection

Penzo, Jeanine A.; Harvey, Pat

Journal of Family Social Work, v11 n3 p323-338 Aug 2008
Parents who are raising children with mental illness struggle with feelings of grief and loss.
Kubler-Ross' (1969) stages of grieving (denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance) are
examined as experienced by parents raising children with chronic mental illness. Practice
implications for social workers who are working with children and their parents are discussed.
Acknowledging and understanding parental grief, while providing emotional support, leads to a
more effective working partnership. This collaboration of parents and social worker can result in
more effective treatment for the child with mental illness. Examples from one of the co-author's
personal experiences are included. (Contains 1 figure.)

(Arnold and Gemma 1983, 57)

Grieving parents say that their grief is a lifelong process, a long and painful process... a process
in which [they] try to take and keep some meaning from the loss and life without the [child].
After a childs death, parents embark on a long, sad journey that can be very frightening and
extremely lonelya journey that never really ends. The hope and desire that healing will come
eventually is an intense and persistent one for grieving parents.

Riley, Linda P.; LaMontagne, Lynda L.; Hepworth, Joseph T.; Murphy, Barbara A.
Death Studies, v31 n4 p277-299 Apr 2007
Conceptualizing parental grief as a psychosocial transition, this cross-sectional study of bereaved
mothers (N = 35) examined the relationship of dispositional factors, grief reactions, and personal
growth. More optimistic mothers reported less intense grief reactions and less distress indicative
of complicated grief. Additionally, mothers who usually coped actively had less intense grief
reactions. Mothers who habitually coped using positive reframing had less intense grief reactions
 and less complicated grief. Personal growth, a positive dimension of grief, was associated with all
three coping dispositions; mothers' active coping, support seeking, and positive reframing
suggesting more personal growth occurred in mothers exhibiting more of these coping
dispositions. These findings increase understanding of dispositional factors associated with
bereaved mothers' grief responses and expand knowledge concerning personal growth as an
outcome of bereavement

The Grief Of The Parents: One Parent to Another. (2017). Retrieved 9 August 2017, from
http://healingheartsny.org/the-grief-of-the-parents-one-parent-to-another/

(2017). Retrieved 9 August 2017, from http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/Wellness/docs/Grief-Of-Parents-

Lifetime-Journey.pdf

Arnold, J., & Gemma, P. (1983). A child dies. Rockville: Aspen Systems.

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Book

ARNOLD, J. H. AND GEMMA, P. B.

A child dies
In-text: (Arnold & Gemma, 1994)
Your Bibliography: Arnold, J., & Gemma, P. (1994). A child dies. Philadelphia: Charles Press.

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FAMILIES, I., FIELD, M. AND BEHRMAN, R.

 BEREAVEMENT EXPERIENCES AFTER THE DEATH OF A CHILD
In-text: (Families, Field & Behrman, 2017)
Your Bibliography: Families, I., Field, M., & Behrman, R. (2017). BEREAVEMENT EXPERIENCES AFTER
THE DEATH OF A CHILD. Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 9 August 2017, from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK220798/

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GRIEVING THE DEATH OF A CHILD

In-text: ("Grieving the Death of a Child", 2017)
Your Bibliography: Grieving the Death of a Child. (2017). HealGrief. Retrieved 9 August 2017, from
https://healgrief.org/grieving-the-death-of-a-child/

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GRIEVING THE LOSS OF A CHILD

In-text: ("Grieving the Loss of A Child", 2017)
Your Bibliography: Grieving the Loss of A Child. (2017). Aamft.org. Retrieved 9 August 2017, from
http://www.aamft.org/iMIS15/AAMFT/Content/Consumer_Updates/Grieving_the_Loss_of_a_Child.aspx

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 Website

NEW UNDERSTANDINGS OF PARENTAL GRIEF: LITERATURE REVIEW

In-text: ("New understandings of parental grief: literature review", 2017)
Your Bibliography: New understandings of parental grief: literature review. (2017). Retrieved 6 August
2017, from
http://www.redavies.talktalk.net/New_Folder/New%20understandings%20of%20parental%20grief%20JAN
%2046%205.pdf

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Journal

PENZO, J. A. AND HARVEY, P.

Understanding Parental Grief as a Response to Mental Illness: Implications for Practice
In-text: (Penzo & Harvey, 2008)
Your Bibliography: Penzo, J., & Harvey, P. (2008). Understanding Parental Grief as a Response to Mental
Illness: Implications for Practice. Journal Of Family Social Work, 11(3), 323-338.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10522150802292616

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THE CONTINUING PROCESS OF PARENTAL GRIEF

In-text: ("The Continuing Process of Parental Grief", 2017)
Your Bibliography: The Continuing Process of Parental Grief. (2017). Taylor & Francis. Retrieved 6 August
2017, from http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/07481180802215718