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Concurrent Grandparent Death and Birth of Schizophrenic Offspring: An Intriguing Finding
Author(s) -
WALSH FROMA W.
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
family process
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.011
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1545-5300
pISSN - 0014-7370
DOI - 10.1111/j.1545-5300.1978.00457.x
Subject(s) - grandparent , spouse , dysfunctional family , offspring , psychology , developmental psychology , schizophrenia (object oriented programming) , feeling , psychiatry , clinical psychology , pregnancy , social psychology , sociology , biology , anthropology , genetics
The finding, in the following study, of grandparent death within ± two years of birth of 41 per cent of schizophrenics ( N = 70 ), a rate significantly higher than that in psychiatric ( N = 45 ) and normal ( N = 25 ) control groups, raises the possibility that this family stress factor may contribute to the development of schizophrenia. The implications are considered regarding the likelihood that the concurrent stresses of the death and the birth, two major events in the family life cycle, could confound and impede mourning and parenting processes. Two hypotheses are suggested: (a) that a bereaved parent may be emotionally unavailable to spouse and infant, and (b) that attention to the child may block mourning and absorb painful feelings, with the child assuming a special replacement role. The dysfunctional potential is related to other interacting variables, including biological factors, mourning resolution, and the family system. Further study is called for.