Bittersweet encounters. A qualitative exploration of parents' unexplainable grief experiences after child loss.

DOI
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
41460251
Abstract
When a loved one dies, some grievers report experiencing phenomena for which no rational explanation seems to exist. This qualitative study, based on a secondary analysis of interview data, aimed to contribute to a deeper understanding of the value and meaning of unexplainable grief experiences for 23 parents who lost a child to cancer and to integrate these insights into bereavement support. Many cancer-bereaved parents had a variety of unexplainable experiences, and none of them gave the impression that they had to hide or suppress these experiences because of perceived stigma. Although these experiences, as a form of continuing bonds, seemed to alleviate the grieving process, their impact on bereaved parents was often bittersweet. To improve grief support to bereaved families, healthcare practitioners should be aware of how the need or desire for such unexplainable experiences interacts with parents' concerns about how to sustain their child's memory.
Date Issued
2025-12-29
Publication Type
Article
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
De Clercq, Eva
Vokinger, Anna Katharina
Pedraza, Eddy Carolina
von Bueren, André Oscar
Scheinemann, Katrin
Bergstraesser, Eva
Michel, Gisela
Additional Credits
Journal
Death studies
ISSN
1091-7683
Access(Rights)
Unknown
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