Morte repentina de genitores e luto infantil: uma revisão da literatura em periódicos científicos brasileiros

The present study reviewed the publications in Brazilian journals in the past fifteen years concerning child mourning due to the sudden death of parents. The emotional consequences of this event in the child’s life and the different psychotherapeutic approaches to the problem are discussed. The database search on Index Psi, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, Medline, SciELO, Bireme e BVS-Psi resulted in 11 publications in Brazilian journals; two articles were by non-Brazilian authors. Analysis of the articles has shown the importance of open communication with the child, and of listening and expressing feelings. The results stressed the relevance of psychotherapy in helping the child and his/her caretakers to deal with the process of loss. Keywords: mourning; child; sudden death