The psychological experiences of grieving for adolescents recently bereaved of a parent

Date
2011-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Parental bereavement has generated interest internationally, and yet very few bereavement studies have been conducted within South Africa, even though the prevalence of South African adolescents experiencing parental bereavement is on the increase. The attachment theory explains why the loss of a parental figure during adolescence could have a long lasting negative influence on adolescents’ psychological development. The present study aimed to explore the psychological experience of bereavement for 66 adolescents who recently lost either a parent or a significant caregiver who played a parental role for the bereaved adolescent. By means of a cross-sectional quantitative design the following variables were examined: depression (using the Beck Depression Inventory–Second Edition; BDI-II), anxiety (using the Beck Anxiety Inventory; BAI), coping (using the Coping Strategy Indicator; CSI), attachment (using the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment; IPPA) and social support (using the Social Support Appraisal; SSA). The results showed that the strongest significant positive correlations were between depression and anxiety, followed by positive correlations between attachment to the remaining mother figure and problem-solving coping. Furthermore, the results showed that the strongest significant negative correlations were between: depression and problem-solving coping, followed by the correlation between attachment to the remaining mother figure and peers and depression. Support from significant attachment figures in the bereaved adolescent's life was found to promote healthy adjustment to the significant loss by lowering depression and strengthening perceived social support for the bereaved adolescent. For the South African population, peer run support group interventions, based in schools or community youth groups, have been identified as best suited to promote resilience for adolescents during the bereavement process. The interventions would bring together bereaved adolescents, creating a support group for the adolescent to draw on during their bereavement.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In teenstelling met die internasionale gemeenskap geniet studies rakende ouerlike verlies in Suid- Afrika relatief min belangstelling en alhoewel gevalle van adolessente wat ouerlike verlies ondervind in Suid-Afrika vermeerder, word daar baie min sulke studies plaaslik onderneem. Die teorie van gehegtheid verklaar hoekom die verlies van ‘n ouer-figuur gedurende adolessensie langtermyn psigologiese newe-effekte kan meebring. Hierdie studie beoog om die psigologiese ondervindinge van 66 adolessente , wat onlangs ‘n ouer of voog moes afstaan, te bestudeer. Deur gebruik te maak van ‘n kwantitatiewe kruispeiling is die volgende veranderlikes bestudeer: depressie (deur gebruik te maak van die “Beck Depression Inventory-Second Edition; BDI-II”), angs (deur gebruik te maak van die “Beck Anxiety Inventory; BAI”), aangewassenheid (deur gebruik te maak van die “Coping Strategy Indicator; CSI”), gehegtheid (deur gebruik te maak van die “Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment; IPPA”) en sosiale ondersteuning (deur gebruik te maak van die “Social Support Appraisal; SSA”). Die resultate toon dat die sterkste betekenisvolle positiewe korrelasies tussen angs en depressie bestaan, gevolg deur positiewe korrelasies tussen gehegtheid tot ‘n oorblywende moeder-figuur en aangewassenheid. Verder toon die resultate dat die sterkste betekenisvolle negatiewe korrelasies tussen depressie en probleem-oplossings opgewassenheid gevind kan word, gevolg deur gehegtheid aan ‘n oorblywende moeder-figuur en tydgenote en depressie. Ondersteuning van figure waarteen die adolessent aangeheg voel bewys om gesonde aanpassing tot die verlies te bewerkstellig deur die aanslag van depressie te bestry en begrip van sosiale ondersteuning te bevorder. In die Suid-Afrikaanse omgewing is gevind dat ingrypende ondersteuningsgroepe, wat bestuur word deur tydgenote van die adolessent, gebaseer in skole of gemeenskap jeug groepe, die beste vaar daarin om adolessente opgewasse te maak teen die verlies van ‘n ouer of voog gedurende die treur proses. Hierdie ingrypende ondersteuning groepeer treurende adolessente saam en bevorder so die vorming van ondersteuningsgroepe waar treurende adolessente mekaar kan bemoedig.
Description
Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
Keywords
Adolescent bereavement -- Psychological aspect, Parental loss -- Psychological aspects, Psychological experiences, Parents -- Death -- Psychological aspect, Grief, Dissertations -- Psychology, Theses -- Psychology
Citation