Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

What can you do or say to a parent who has lost their child? As the bereaved parent, what it is that you want most from people at this time? The answers to these questions are unclear. Researchers have demonstrated that losing a child is one of the most traumatic experiences. Bereaved parents face intense emotional pain. Life for these parents suddenly requires a new way of living. The loss of a child not only impacts parents, but also the marriage relationship and the family system. Following the death of their child, parents often experience distance or perceive a lack of support from their communities. This leads parents to disconnect from their current social support networks. As a result, they not only lose their child, but life-giving relationships, thus increasing their suffering and isolation. The present research uses an Enhanced Critical Incident Technique (ECIT) to examine what helps and hinders bereaved parents' experience of grieving in community. The present study will explore these components through interviews with bereaved parents. This research will also explore the perspective of the community through focus groups, specifically looking at what helps and hinders community members in their support for grieving parents. This research can help to improve bereaved parents' grieving process in the community and educate community groups so they are able to better support and walk alongside bereaved parents during an extremely difficult time.