Family Support and a Child's Adjustment to Death

Weber, Joseph; Fournier, David G.

doi:10.2307/583756

Cited by 17 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 16 publications

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“…The role of caregiver in patient management is well documented for chronic ill health such as cancers and physical disability in developed countries ( 18 , 21 – 23 ) as well as HIV in developing countries ( 24 , 25 ). In Ghana and other African countries, wide family networks including church societies provide support to individuals or groups of people when social problems such as death ( 26 , 27 ) or disasters ( 28 ) occur. Such social support systems do not exist, however, for illnesses such as mental health, which is widely stigmatised.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

The experience of caregivers of people living with serious mental disorders: a study from rural Ghana

Ae-Ngibise

Doku

Asante

et al. 2015

Global Health Action

125

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BackgroundFamilies and friends who give care to people with mental disorders (MDs) are affected in a variety of ways and degrees. The interplay of caregiving consequences: poverty, discrimination and stigma, lack of support from others, diminished social relationships, depression, emotional trauma, and poor or interrupted sleep are associated caregiver burden.ObjectiveThe burden of care on caregivers of people living with MDs was assessed in two districts located in the middle part of Ghana. Coping strategies and available support for caregivers of MDs were also assessed.DesignA qualitative study was carried out involving 75 caregivers of participants with MDs registered within the Kintampo Health and Demographic Surveillance Systems. Data were gathered from caregivers about their experiences in providing care for their relations with MDs.ResultsCaregivers reported various degrees of burden, which included financial, social exclusion, emotional, depression, and inadequate time for other social responsibilities. Responsibilities around caregiving were mostly shared among close relatives but to a varying and limited extent. Religious prayers and the anticipation of cure were the main coping strategies adopted by caregivers, with expectation of new treatments being discovered.ConclusionsEmotional distress, stigma, financial burden, lack of support networks, social exclusion, health impact, and absence of decentralised mental health services were experienced by family caregivers. These findings highlight the need for interventions to support people with MDs and their caregivers. This might include policy development and implementation that will decentralise mental health care provision including psychosocial support for caregivers. This will ameliorate families’ financial and emotional burden, facilitate early diagnosis and management, reduce travel time to seek care, and improve the quality of life of family caregivers of persons with MDs.

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confidence: 99%

The experience of caregivers of people living with serious mental disorders: a study from rural Ghana

Ae-Ngibise

Doku

Asante

et al. 2015

Global Health Action

125

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“…Universality is an understanding that all living things must die (Speece & Brent, 1984). A fourth component of death, inevitability, has also been investigated by some researchers (e.g., Candy-Gibbs, Sharp, & Petrun, 1984-1985Nagy, 1948). Inevitability is an understanding that there is nothing one can do to avoid death (Candy-Gibbs et al, 1984-1985.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…A fourth component of death, inevitability, has also been investigated by some researchers (e.g., Candy-Gibbs, Sharp, & Petrun, 1984-1985Nagy, 1948). Inevitability is an understanding that there is nothing one can do to avoid death (Candy-Gibbs et al, 1984-1985. It is believed that children acquire each of these components, or subconcepts, en route to gaining a full understanding of the concept of death.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Predictors of Children's Understandings of Death: Age, Cognitive Ability, Death Experience and Maternal Communicative Competence

Hunter¹,

Smith²

2008

Omega (Westport)

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A child's age, cognitive ability, and exposure to death in the environment have been documented as major factors affecting the formation of a mature death concept. The present study investigated the relationships between these three factors (age, cognitive ability, and death experience) and children's understandings of death, as well as the relationship between mothers' communicative competence and children's understandings of death. Thirty-seven children (ages 48-96 months) completed three cognitive tasks and answered four dichotomous questions about death. Their mothers (N = 37) responded in writing to 16 questions about death that children are likely to ask. Results showed significant relationships between age and understanding, between seriation ability and understanding, and between death experience and understanding. There was no statistically significant relationship between maternal response competence and children's understandings of death. Implications are discussed.

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“…The degree to which children are excluded from a family member's dying process and funeral can affect children's reality testing about the death (Raphael, 1983). In a recent study (Weber and Fournier, 1985), children who had less participation in a death (i.e., they did not view the body and/or attend the funeral or graveside services) often had more confusion about the death.…”

Section: ) Children Can Talk About Anything That Falls Within Their mentioning

confidence: 96%

The child in grief: Implications for teaching

Hare

Sugawara

Pratt

1986

Early Child Development and Care

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Family Support and a Child's Adjustment to Death

Cited by 17 publications

References 16 publications

The experience of caregivers of people living with serious mental disorders: a study from rural Ghana

The experience of caregivers of people living with serious mental disorders: a study from rural Ghana

Predictors of Children's Understandings of Death: Age, Cognitive Ability, Death Experience and Maternal Communicative Competence

The child in grief: Implications for teaching

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