Prevalence of Complicated Grief and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Children and Adolescents Following Sibling Death

Abstract

The effects of complicated grief (CG) in children and adolescents following the death of a sibling have not been studied in depth until recently. Research indicates that siblings and families are affected in a variety of ways by an ever-increasing number of factors. Risk factors for CG include, but are not limited to, coping strategies of the parents, the number of years since the death, the type of death, family support systems and relationships, therapeutic interventions, developmental ages of the siblings at the time of death, and the idea of finding meaning in life following the death. A death by accident or suicide which provides little or no warning to the family can cause a significant impact on families as compared to a death due to chronic illness. CG resulting in the development of anxiety disorders and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may arise if one or all of these risk factors are present. This article will present an overview of studies related to the development of CG and PTSD in children and adolescents following death of a sibling, factors that may precipitate development of symptomatology, and recommendations for therapeutic interventions and future studies.