Parental Bereavement over the Life Course: A Theoretical Intersection and Empirical Review

Abstract

This article reviews the literature on parental bereavement over the family life course drawing attention to the meaning of the loss. The conceptual framework for this article arises from the intersection of Klass and Marwit's [1] theory of parental bereavement and the theory of family development as proposed by Aldous [2] and others. The review of the literature is organized according to a series of factors, proposed by Rando [3] and others, thought to influence the parental grief experience: the untimeliness of the death; the nature and quality of the lost relationship; the role the deceased played; the characteristics of the death; and, the social support system. The role of a family developmental perspective in the understanding of parental bereavement and the recognition of the issues involved in the losses at different family stages is discussed in relation to each factor and strategies for future research are offered.