Work

Parents’ self-identity and meaning-making after the traumatic loss of a child

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Meaning-making is crucial for parents after the traumatic death of a child, encompassing sense-making, finding benefits, and self-identity changes. However, self-identity changes are often understudied. This study examines parents’ narratives on self-identity through meaning-making. Participants were recruited online via Finnish bereavement organizations. In the first phase, 66 parents answered open-ended questions on LimeSurvey. Then, 17 parents had in-depth phone interviews. Thematic analysis revealed key themes: reconciling social identity, reconciling personal self-perceptions, finding meaning in a new parental identity, and defining roles within this new identity. These insights are vital for social workers to understand the complex nature of parental grief.

Source: Social Work in Mental Health

DOI: 10.1080/15332985.2025.2487434

Authors: Nur Atikah Mohamed Hussin, Reija Peltomäki, Satu-Maria Vesala, Anna Liisa Aho

Institution: Tampere University

Language: English

Topic: Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health

Subfield: Clinical Psychology

Field: Psychology

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: European Research Executive Agency