“There Is Nothing I Can’t Face Now”: Coping With Child Loss Among Bereaved Parents in Ghana
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Date
2022
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
OMEGA-Journal of Death and Dying
Abstract
Coping resources play a critical role in parents’ recovery from the trauma associated
with child loss. In Ghana, little is known about how parents cope with child loss, despite
the relatively high prevalence of child loss in the country. This study, therefore, sought
to map out coping strategies bereaved parents adopt in response to child loss. Twenty
Ghanaian parents were purposefully sampled and their accounts were thematically
analyzed. Findings from the study show that bereaved parents adopted both cognitive
and behavioral coping mechanisms. Religion and social support also emerged as useful
coping resources for bereaved parents. Additionally, bereaved parents showed evidence of posttraumatic growth following child loss. The findings underscore the need for
for practitioners to develop programs around adaptive coping methods that bereaved
parents are familiar with to enhance their chances of developing progressive outcomes
in the course of managing the distress associated with child loss.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
child loss, posttraumatic growth, coping