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Parents grieving the loss of their child: Interdependence in coping
Author(s) -
Meij Leoniek Wijngaardsde.,
Stroebe Margaret.,
Schut Henk.,
Stroebe Wolfgang.,
Bout Jan.,
Heijden Peter G. M.,
Dijkstra Iris.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1348/014466507x216152
Subject(s) - psychology , coping (psychology) , interpersonal communication , developmental psychology , partner effects , interpersonal relationship , clinical psychology , social psychology
Objectives A longitudinal study was conducted among bereaved parents, to examine the relationship between parents' own and their partners' ways of coping in terms of the constructs loss‐orientation and restoration‐orientation (coping strategies based on the bereavement‐specific Dual Process Model (Stroebe & Schut, 1999)), and psychological adjustment following the death of their child. Method 219 couples participated at 6, 13 and 20 months post‐loss. Use of the Actor Partner Interdependence Model within multi‐level regression analyses enabled assessment of both actor as well as partner effects, and permitted differentiating these effects according to the gender of the parent. Results Loss‐orientation was predictive of negative psychological adjustment, while restoration‐orientation was related to better adjustment. Furthermore, high levels of restoration‐oriented coping buffered the negative effect of high levels of loss‐orientation on depression. In the interpersonal context, results indicated that for men, having a female partner high in restoration‐oriented coping was related to positive adjustment. Conclusion In coping with the loss of their child, intra‐personal as well as interpersonal processes are relevant for the adjustment process of parents after the loss of their child.