Disenfranchised Grief: Which Grieving Rules Do German Mid-adolescents Hold?

Abstract

Every society adheres to grieving rules that govern how people experience loss and grief. These are rarely communicated explicitly, which can lead to insecurities in dealing with one's own grief and the grief of others. This is particularly true for adolescents. Based on Doka's concept of disenfranchised grief, this study explores the grieving rules of mid-adolescents. Cross-sectional data collection took place in November and December 2022 at six secondary schools in Germany. A total of 226 adolescents predominantly aged between 14 and 16 years completed the questionnaire. The analysis of the data shows that in some respects, mid-adolescents have similar grieving rules as adults. However, they are more inclusive when it comes to losses of ex-partners, pets and people with intellectual disabilities. Possible sources of (self-)disenfranchisement are parasocial relationships and the duration of grief. Open communication about grieving rules is suggested to prevent possible disenfranchisement.