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Deceased-Focused Mourning in Loss of a Parent

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The Deceased-focused Approach to Grief

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Abstract

The death of a parent is a traumatic experience for a child. It could negatively affect the child’s ability to concentrate in school and affects the child’s prospects for the future. However, with support from family and friends some children are able to overcome the difficulties caused by a parent’s death. In fact some children who lost a parent in childhood have gone on to hold important positions in life, including the office of the president of the USA. By taking up some of the roles and responsibilities of a deceased parent, a child at any age may grow up faster. Losing a parent in adulthood is no less traumatic; and given the relatively longer tenure of adult child–parent relationship that allows more opportunities for bonding and shared memory, it is hard to let go or to say goodbye, even when the death of a parent is expected.

A plausible way of co** and healing for the bereaved in the loss of a parent would be by doing what is perceived as pleasing to the deceased parent. In realizing that by one’s actions and behavior the deceased parent would be pleased, this could bring about a vicarious reward of joy and healing to the bereaved child, in his or her grief.

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  1. Department of Psychology, Roger Williams University, Bristol, RI, USA

    Frank E. Eyetsemitan

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Eyetsemitan, F.E. (2022). Deceased-Focused Mourning in Loss of a Parent. In: The Deceased-focused Approach to Grief . Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98245-4_9

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