Research on parental bereavement has focused historically on single or partnered cross-gendered (heterosexual) bereaved parents. No previous studies have examined the unique experiences of same-gendered bereaved parents. This multiple-case study focused on child death in same-gendered-parent families. The goal of this study was to yield…

Interviewed 14 couples who had a child die. All parents, particularly mothers, expressed guilt. For most couples, guilt and grief interfered with intimacy, although being held was a comforting device. Producing a replacement child was common among couples of child bearing age. (JAC)

The article describes counseling with chronically/terminally ill children and adolescents at the Boston Children's Hospital using a special education-oriented philosophy of support. The authors take a view which emphasizes life and focuses on ways to maintain meaning in the child's life. (SBH)

Studies how a self-help group can facilitate parents' mourning process following a stillbirth. With family-to-family contact and group discussions, the reality of the stillbirth is validated, the empty feelings of the loss the parents are experiencing are acknowledged, and the guilt the couples are feeling is eased. (Author)

A study to determine whether any previous training had been received in death counseling, to assess the need for resident physicians to provide such counseling, and to define the self-perceived confidence level of resident physicians in providing psychosocial support to dying patients and their families is described. (Author/MLW)

This paper primarily considers the effects of parental and sibling deaths on preadolescent children, including the relationship of child rearing styles to the process of mourning. Through a review of the literature and an integration of several psychological factors, the author shows that familial death places children at risk. However, she…

The loss of a family member is a traumatic experience for any child, affecting every aspect of life. In this article, we describe many of the needs of the child experiencing a loss, focusing on parental bereavement. A rationale for using support groups with grieving children is presented. Furthermore, we provide a review of best practices from the…