Decoding Babel: “Ungrieved Futility” and the Unrecognized Order of the Depression Research Field

Objective To synthesise the qualitative research related to the processes of loss and grief experienced by adults who have sustained a moderate to severe ABI. Method We conducted a systematic review and thematic synthesis of the experiences of loss and grief in adults with moderate to severe ABI. Five electronic database searches (PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Scopus) were conducted, identifying 2434 studies, of which 25 met inclusion criteria. Findings Thematic synthesis generated four overarching analytical themes: the loss within me; devaluation of social roles and social identity; acceptance of grief and loss as an active process; and an ambivalent experience of loss. Our findings indicate that the experiences of grief and loss following brain injury are dynamic processes, requiring significant adjustment to and reappraisal of the sense of self, an often uncomfortable reconstruction and sometimes reluctant acceptance of new personal and social identities, and development of tolerance for the ambiguity of one’s experience. Conclusion Findings suggest that people with moderate to severe ABI go through a significant process of change and adaptation in relation to grief and loss and their sequelae. Given the enduring nature of the injury and changing needs of the individual, rehabilitation may need to be increasingly personalised and responsive.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to introduce a sensory learning approach designed to enhance embodied cognition and creative engagement among students, particularly in the Fine Arts. Drawing from the lived experience of progressive sight loss, the author conceptualizes “A Sixth Sense” – a deeper awareness of the self achieved through sensory and introspective practices. Design/methodology/approach The sensory learning methodology presented here aims to help students overcome ocular-centric perspectives, fostering mindfulness, creativity and self-awareness through an experimental workshop. Findings Outcomes indicate the potential for this approach to contribute broadly to personal growth, creative processes and the understanding of blindness as an asset rather than a limitation. Research limitations/implications This is a brief study, which has scope for being developed by further research. Practical implications The work has artistic and psychological implications – what happens the occular-centric creativity of participants is challenged? Social implications Challenging narratives around art and creativity as purely visual disciplines is important for inclusion. Originality/value This is the first study of its kind, based on the authors lived experience as an artist with progressive sight loss.

Incarcerated women face a number of stressors apart from the actual incarceration. Nearly half of all women in prison experience the death of a loved one during their incarceration. Our purpose for this study was to explore the experience of grief and loss among incarcerated women using a phenomenological method. Our study approach followed van Manen's method of phenomenology and Munhall's description of existential lifeworlds. Our analysis revealed four existential lifeworlds: temporality: frozen in time; spatiality: no place, no space to grieve; corporeality: buried emotions; and relationality: never alone, yet feeling so lonely. The findings generated from this study can help mental health providers as well as correctional professionals develop policies and programs that facilitate the grief process of incarcerated women within the confines of imprisonment.

BackgroundDue to public restrictions during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, many people were unable to visit and bid a proper farewell to their dying loved ones. This study aimed to address the loss-oriented aspects of grief and bereavement of relatives and relate these to the support they may have received from their dying relative's caring professionals.Materials and methodsPeople from Germany who experienced bereavement during the COVID-19 pandemic were enrolled in a cross-sectional study between July 2021 and May 2022, using standardized questionnaires (i.e., ICG, Inventory of Complicated Grief; BGL, Burdened by Grief and Loss scale; WHO-5, WHO-Five Wellbeing Index; and 5NRS, perception of burden related to the pandemic).ResultsMost participants (n = 196) had the opportunity to visit their relatives before death (59%). When this was not possible, being burdened by grief and loss was significantly higher (Eta2 = 0.153), while this had no significant influence on complicated grief or psychological wellbeing. Furthermore, 34% of participants felt well-supported by the treatment/care team. Their own support was moderately correlated with BGL scores (r = −0.38) and marginally with ICG scores (r = −15). Regression analyses showed that complicated grief symptoms as the dependent variable were predicted by (low) psychological wellbeing, relational status, and the perception of COVID-19-related burden (R2 = 0.70). In contrast, BGL as the dependent variable can be best explained by the perception of emotional affections because of restricted visits shortly before their death, by the (short) duration of visits before death, and by the relational status (R2 = 0.53). Although both were interconnected (r = 0.44), their predictor pattern was different.ConclusionBeing able to visit dying relatives was important for the mourning and bereavement processes. This emotional aspect was more relevant to the normal, non-pathological grief and loss processes than to complicated grief processes. Support from their dying relatives' treatment/care team was highly relevant to the mourning process, but the visiting relatives often lacked information about additional resources such as psychologists or pastoral care professionals or had limited access to them.

BackgroundParents of children with disabilities face many challenges when providing care, along with persistent worry and fear about the child’s health outcomes and the impact of the disability on their lives. These parents experience stressful situations and face many emotions, one of which is chronic sorrow (CS). Therefore, the theory of CS was introduced to examine and measure feelings of CS among parents. Little research has been conducted with Saudi parents with a child with disabilities and the utilization of CS theory in this population is limited.ObjectiveThis study aims to examine the application of CS theory on parents of children with disabilities in Saudi Arabia.MethodsA cross-sectional design was used to obtain data from 89 participants who are parents of children with disabilities. A web-based questionnaire was distributed to measure CS.ResultsThe study examined the concepts within CS theory. The concept of loss experience yielded a moderately high score (mean 3.3, SD 1.10); of all the variables measuring loss experience, parents scored high in feeling sad when thinking about their child’s disability (mean 3.9, SD 1.24). Parents also reported a moderately high score (mean 3.3, SD 1.06) for the concept of disparity, specifically when their child does not meet the same developmental milestones as their peers (mean 3.8, SD 1.30). Feelings of CS also displayed a moderately high score (mean 3, SD 0.87), with the periodic nature of CS scoring the highest within the concept of CS (mean 3.6, SD 1.16). In addition, internal and external management methods that parents believe are effective were examined. Internal management of CS was believed to be of high importance (mean 4.6, SD 0.33), specifically the belief of fatalism (mean 4.8, SD 0.50). Parents also viewed external management as important in navigating their emotions (mean 4.5, SD 0.42), specifically social support from family and the community (mean 4.7, SD 0.55). This study identified strong positive relationships between sorrow and loss experience and disparity (both r=0.765 and P<.001). Lastly, the study found no relationship between CS and time elapsed since parents received their child’s diagnosis (r=−0.009; P=.94).ConclusionsThis study applied the theory of CS to the parents of children with disabilities and they reported feelings of loss, disparity, and CS. Therefore, this population should be screened and provided with parental emotional care. Interventions to enhance parental mental health and well-being and support CS management should be developed and used by health care workers. Parental acceptance of their child’s disability does not mean the absence of CS, as it is part of the normal grieving process. Anticipating CS triggers and applying internal and external management are essential to improving parental mental health and child health outcomes.

BACKGROUND Parents of disabled children face many challenges when providing care, along with persistent worry and fear about the child health outcome, along with the impact of the child's disability on their lives. Parents of disabled children experience stressful situation and face many emotions one of which is chronic sorrow. Therefore, the Theory of chronic sorrow was introduced to examine and measure feelings of chronic sorrow among parents. Little attention has been made to examine Arab parents with disabled child and the utilization of chronic sorrow theory in this population. OBJECTIVE The study aims to examine the application of chronic sorrow theory on parents of disabled children in Saudi Arabia. METHODS A cross-sectional design was utilized to obtain data from 89 participants who are parents of disabled child. A questionnaire was disturbed via online to measure chronic sorrow. RESULTS The study examined and applied the concepts within the theory of chronic sorrow. The concepts of loss experience yielded a moderately high score (mean 3.3, SD 1.10), of all the variables measuring loss experience, parents scored high in feeling sad when thinking about their child disability (mean 3.9, SD 1.24). Parents have also reported moderately high score (mean 3.3, SD 1.06) in the concept of disparity, specifically when their child doesn’t meet developmental milestone as their peer (mean 3.8, SD 1.30). Feelings of chronic sorrow also displayed moderately high score (mean 3, SD 0.87), with the periodic nature of chronic sorrow as the highest score within the concept of chronic sorrow (mean 3.6, SD 1.16). In addition, internal and external management methods parents believed are effective were examined. Internal management of chronic sorrow are believed to be of high importance by the parents (mean 4.6, SD 0.33), specifically the belief of fatalism (mean 4.8, SD 0.50). Parents also viewed external management of chronic sorrow as important in navigating their emotion (mean 4.5, SD 0.42), specifically reported social support from family and the community (mean 4.7, SD 0.55). The study has identified strong positive relationship between sorrow and loss experience (r=0.765; P &lt; 0.001), and with disparity (r=0.765; P &lt; 0.001). Lastly, the study have found no relationship between chronic sorrow and time passed since parents received diagnosis of their child disability (r=-0.009; P= 0.936). CONCLUSIONS The results of this study have utilized the theory of chronic sorrow among parents of disabled children, feeling of loss, disparity and chronic sorrow were reported. Therefore, screening, and parental emotional care are needed for this population. Importance of chronic sorrow management and creation of intervention to enhance parental mental health and well-being are important to be addressed and utilized by the health care workers. Parental acceptance of their child disability doesn’t entail absence of chronic sorrow as its normal grieving process but anticipating the triggers of chronic sorrow and utilizing management method, both internal and external are essential to promote parental mental health and overall child health outcome.

Loss – the experience of having lost something, as well as the subjective experience of missing out on something desired or expected – is a common experience in children’s lives. Many Australian children will experience the loss of a parent through divorce, separation, or death. The consequences of such losses can be severe and long lasting, affecting children’s health and wellbeing throughout their lives. Children from families facing complex challenges and change – such as family violence, abuse, neglect, mental illness, disability, substance abuse, homelessness, poverty, and social isolation – appear to be particularly at risk. These children commonly experience multiple losses of significant relationships and possessions and are at an increased risk of negative outcomes as a result of these losses. Despite the significant impact of loss in these children’s lives, understandings of childhood loss remain limited and contested. In addition, loss is afforded little attention in the Australian child and family service system. Current understandings primarily draw on adult perspectives of children’s responses to parental death, and we are yet to fully understand how children perceive and experience loss. This thesis aims to fill this gap by drawing on theory and techniques from childhood studies to explore how children, from families facing complex challenges and change, perceive and experience loss. A participatory qualitative approach was adopted to better understand children’s experiences. A children’s reference group provided advice and guidance throughout the study and 22 children, aged 6-12, participated in in-depth interviews. All children were recruited from the child and family service system in Canberra, Australia. Data was analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). This method ensured the findings remained grounded in, and reflective of, children’s perspectives and experiences. Many common themes emerged across the diverse range of losses discussed by children. The children understood loss to be an inevitable part of life, often characterised by negative feelings associated with missing, or missing out on, valued family (including pets), friends and fun. The absence of these important people or things invoked a great depth and breadth of emotions, which were ever present and sometimes overwhelming for children. Sadness was evident in all the children’s experiences of loss, and many spoke of feeling left out and lonely. Children’s interactions with others were also inextricably linked to their experiences of loss. Silence, isolation, powerlessness, and an overriding complexity often governed children’s interactions with others and caused, complicated and compounded their loss experiences. Children used many strategies to cope with their losses, including: fun, play and laughter; focusing on the positives; and, remembering and maintaining connections with lost people. Children also identified the need for adults to: just listen; include them and give them a say; provide information; and offer comfort, care, and support for them and their families. In exploring children’s own understandings and experiences of loss, this study extends and challenges dominant understandings of childhood grief and builds knowledge of the supports required for children to cope and thrive in the wake of loss. This thesis makes an essential contribution to the development of explicit, appropriate, and sensitive practice within child and family welfare that can better respond to the diverse losses experienced by children. Further, this thesis provides a platform to strengthen the links between the currently distinct fields of childhood studies, grief and loss, and trauma.

This study employs a concurrent mixed methods design to explore the complexities of grief and post-traumatic growth (PTG) following non-death losses, with a particular focus on relationship loss. Two hundred adults were recruited for quantitative data collection, complemented by qualitative insights from 10 participants. Quantitative data, obtained through questionnaires that measured grief severity and growth, were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Qualitative data, gathered via semi-structured interviews, underwent thematic analysis. The study utilized concurrent triangulation to compare and integrate findings from both methodologies. Key findings indicate that respondents reported low to moderate levels of grief severity, yet demonstrated a relatively high level of PTG, particularly in appreciation for life and improved relationships. Statistical analysis revealed a weak yet significant relationship between grief severity and some aspects of PTG, suggesting that experiencing grief may contribute to personal growth. Coping mechanisms such as seeking social support were prevalent, highlighting the resilience of individuals navigating non-death losses. The study contributes to the understanding of grief in non-death losses, emphasizing the significance of acknowledging and validating these experiences. Themes of personal growth, self-discovery, and enhanced resilience emerged, aligning with existing literature on PTG. Additionally, the study highlights the importance of tailored interventions and support systems in empowering individuals who navigate such losses. By integrating quantitative and qualitative data, this research provides a comprehensive perspective on the nuanced interplay between grief and growth in the aftermath of non-death losses. The findings hold implications for clinical psychology, workplace policies, educational practices, and future research endeavors, emphasizing the need for holistic approaches to address the multifaceted aspects of grief and loss experiences.

Long COVID is a growing health concern with data continuing to emerge about the psychosocial consequences of this new chronic condition. We aimed to improve understanding of the experiences of patients with Long COVID, focusing on emotional impacts arising from experiences of loss and grief caused by persistent physical symptoms and changes in lifestyle and social support. Patients (n = 21) were recruited August to September 2022 from a post-COVID recovery clinic to participate in semistructured interviews. We found that Long COVID patients (1) reported experiencing loss across multiple domains including loss of physical health, mental health, social support and connections, roles in their families, and self-identities, and (2) described experiences of grief that mirrored the 5 stages of grief in the Kubler-Ross model: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and for some, acceptance. Our findings highlight the importance of evaluating the experiences of loss and grief among Long COVID patients as well as support systems for this patient population. Providers may be encouraged to incorporate mental health and bereavement support resources to address critical needs of Long COVID patients.

Although there is an increasing interest in siblings’ experiences of loss and grief there is limited knowledge of adolescent's own perspectives, especially in a unique situation as after stillbirth in a reconstituted family. The authors interviewed 13 bereaved adolescents. They were sad that their family was not the same and expressed feelings of being inside family grief, yet outside, because they did not have full access in their reconstituted family. An implication of present findings is that it is important to include all the members of the family in the grieving process, even half-siblings of the deceased child.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in countless losses around the world, profoundly affecting the lives of many people, especially those who faced the death of family members, bringing several negative repercussions to these families and constraining the experience of grief. This study aimed to understand the experience of loss and grief among bereaved individuals who lost family members during the COVID-19 pandemic. This qualitative study was guided by Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory as a methodological framework. The study adhered to the Criteria for REporting Qualitative research (COREQ) checklist. Data collection took place between May and November 2023 through telephone interviews that were audio-recorded and later transcribed in full. The purposive sample consisted of 21 bereaved family members who had lost their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were mainly female (n = 16) with a mean age of 55.5 (SD = 16.2). The loss of their family members occurred 12 to 24 months before data collection. The following central phenomenon was identified through the analytical process: "Family experience of loss and grief: between the unspoken goodbye and post-loss adjustment". This was anchored in the following three categories: (1) Anguish and fear of the unknown; (2) Death by COVID-19-communication of death and lack of goodbyes; and (3) (Re)construction of meaning-support networks and the grieving process. Our findings recommend that policymakers allocate additional resources to grief support services to better prepare for future pandemic events. Furthermore, it is necessary to invest in the implementation of relevant training programs for healthcare professionals, with a family centered approach.

Grief is a normal process that occurs following the irreversible loss of a loved one. This process, characterized by painful experiences, varies widely and is influenced by numerous factors, including the identity of the deceased, the circumstances of their death, the individual characteristics of the bereaved, and the availability of support systems. The suddenness and violence of a loss can disrupt the normal grieving process, leading to the manifestation of traumatic symptoms. This phenomenon, referred to as “traumatic grief” in the literature, is associated with an increased risk of various psychiatric disorders, including major depression, anxiety disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder. The death of a parent represents a profound loss for an adolescent, complicating their coping mechanisms and significantly impacting their psychological well-being. Parental loss alone is a significant risk factor for suicidal behavior in adolescents. When a parent’s death is traumatic, it can further exacerbate this risk, leading to suicidal thoughts and behaviors by disrupting the normal grief process, even in adolescents who were previously mentally healthy. This article presents the diagnosis and treatment of a 17-year-old girl who exhibited active suicidal thoughts and behaviors after her father was killed with a firearm. The objective of this case report is to explore the atypical grief symptoms that can follow traumatic losses during adolescence and to assess the effectiveness of holistic approaches that combine supportive psychotherapy with pharmacotherapy in treating such cases.

How can complex movements that take hundreds of milliseconds be generated by stereotypical neural microcircuits consisting of spiking neurons with a much faster dynamics? We show that linear readouts from generic neural microcircuit models can be trained to generate basic arm movements. Such movement generation is independent of the arm model used and the type of feedback that the circuit receives. We demonstrate this by considering two different models of a two-jointed arm, a standard model from robotics and a standard model from biology, that each generates different kinds of feedback. Feedback that arrives with biologically realistic delays of 50 to 280 ms turns out to give rise to the best performance. If a feedback with such desirable delay is not available, the neural microcircuit model also achieves good performance if it uses internally generated estimates of such feedback. Existing methods for movement generation in robotics that take the particular dynamics of sensors and actuators into account (embodiment of motor systems) are taken one step further with this approach, which provides methods for also using the embodiment of motion generation circuitry, that is, the inherent dynamics and spatial structure of neural circuits, for the generation of movement.

Simple linear readouts from generic neural microcircuit models can be trained to generate and control basic movements, e.g., reaching with an arm to various target points. After suitable training of these readouts on a small number of target points; reaching movements to nearby points can also be generated. Sensory or proprioceptive feedback turns out to improve the performance of the neural microcircuit model, if it arrives with a significant delay of 25 to 100 ms. Furthermore, additional feedbacks of “prediction of sensory variables” are shown to improve the performance significantly. Existing control methods in robotics that take the particular dynamics of sensors and actuators into account(“embodiment of robot control”) are taken one step further with this approach which provides methods for also using the “embodiment of computation”, i.e. the inherent dynamics and spatial structure of neural circuits, for the design of robot movement controllers.

The Journey of Bereavement