Grief In People Research Articles

Donors: Curious Connections in Donor Conception, Petra Nordquist and Leah Gilman

Donor-assisted conception is generally not a priority concern in the field of social work. Although often hidden in plain sight, the grief of people with unwanted childlessness and the identity issues of people conceived with the use of donated semen, eggs or embryos may seem very insignificant in the face of structural violences such as climate change, poverty, homelessness and political oppression, where many social workers are engaged in helping those affected. Yet, it was nearly a quarter of a century ago that the BJSW published an article arguing for the continuing contribution of social work to this field (Blyth, 1999) and highlighting the values and principles underlying social work which have relevance to it. At that time, gamete donors in the UK were still legally allowed to remain anonymous, but the British Association of Social Work through its Project Group on Assisted Reproduction (Progar) was campaigning vigorously (and ultimately successfully) for that to change. Social workers had concerns about the destructive impact of secrecy in families and the Human Rights aspect of the discrimination against donor-conceived people in being prevented from obtaining information about their origins.

Approaching grief during the pandemic by COVID-19

At the end of December 2019, the outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) emerged in the city of Wuhan, China, due to the rapid spread of the disease, in March 2020 a pandemic was declared by the World Health Organization and the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses. As the COVID-19 disease ravages the world, a high rate of infection and mortality has been evidenced in a short time. To reduce the spread of COVID-19, governments have introduced prevention policies, such as lockdowns and social distancing, among others. This resulted in potential psychosocial changes that affected many aspects of daily life, including how to die and cope with the death of a loved one, with limited opportunities to shape funeral rituals and difficulty receiving support. Social. A large number of people who died alone due to these policies, in turn the relatives experienced situations of impotence and frustration, since they were limited in the care of their loved one, in visits to the hospital and even could not say goodbye. The objective of this article is to provide various strategies compiled in documents that help to deal with grief in people who had the loss of a loved one in times of pandemic, among which communication and psychological and social support stand out.

Synthesising existing research on complicated grief in intellectual disability: findings from a systematic review.

Complicated grief has been identified as a phenomenon in the general population, and there is an increasing body of research investigating complicated grief in people with intellectual disability. The aim of this study is to synthesise this existing knowledge from research published between 1999 and 2022. A structured systematic review using PRISMA guidelines was conducted, which searched three commonly used databases (Medline, PsycINFO and CINAHL) for research on the topic of bereavement and intellectual disability. The articles identified in this search were screened to identify those that addressed the issue of 'complicated grief', with all abstracts and subsequent full texts reviewed by two researchers. In total, 179 abstracts were initially identified, with 34 articles eligible for full text screening and 18 papers reaching criteria for inclusion. Data relating to the studies' objectives were extracted under the headings of definition, defining principles, signs and symptoms, risk factors and treatments for complicated grief in intellectual disability. Thematic analysis of the extracted data was performed to identify key themes. This review highlights that people with intellectual disability are likely to experience complicated grief reactions and that complicated grief is both underestimated and a clinically significant condition for people with intellectual disability. Future research should work to clarify diagnostic criteria and identify appropriate interventions.

Invisible victims of non-ethical reporting on suicide in Serbia

The subject of this paper is the analysis of the way the daily printing in Serbia is engaged in the reporting on suicide and the level of respect of the Code of Ethics of Serbian Journalists. The aim of thee paper is to present and analyse the findings of the research on the manner of reporting on cases of suicide in electronic editions of eight daily newspapers in the period from 1st January to 30th September 2018. Both quantitative and qualitative analysis of the media content, including photographs and video footage was performed. The research findings showed that only two dailies out of eight fully followed the professional and ethical conduct for journalists. In total, 223 articles have been published about cases of suicide. Out of this number, the Code of Ethics has been violated in 147 articles (65.9%). In 40 articles media un-ethically reported on cases of suicide of children and minors. The most frequent methods of the Code of Ethics? violations include: disrespect of dignity, privacy and grief of people who have experienced the death from suicide of a loved one, publishing photographs of the scene of a given suicide, and pictures of an individual who has died by suicide and of his/her family members, and using language which sensationalises suicide. Due to unethical reporting, members of the family of the persons who committed suicide have been exposed to additional trauma and stigmatization, thus becoming invisible victims of irresponsible media reporting. The analysis of the legal and institutional framework has shown that mechanisms for the protection of their right to privacy and dignity are in place. Beside court protection, the victims of non-ethical reporting may seek protection from the Press Council, an independent self-regulatory body that has been established for monitoring the observance of the Code of Ethics and solving complaints made by individuals and institutions related to media content. However, it has been found that the traumatised and stigmatised family members very rarely use these opportunities provided. The analysis of the complaint proceedings before the Press Complaints Commission from the beginning of its work in September 2011 to 2019 showed that only three persons filed complaints against media seeking protection of their right to privacy and dignity.

Supporting people with learning disabilities through a bereavement

Purpose There remains a lack of clarity regarding what constitutes “normal” or “complicated” grief within this client group. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that complicate grief and considers interventions which would be beneficial. Design/methodology/approach The paper draws on previous research by the author and others to comment on some of the issues discussed by Hannah Young in her article. Findings Three domains contribute to complicated grief in people with learning disabilities. These are the learning disability itself, environmental factors and the impact of disability on attachment. Practical implications A relational approach to support is important in preventing complicated grief. If the grief becomes complicated, a relational psychotherapy is recommended as the preferable intervention. Originality/value This paper gives important consideration to practical factors that can lower vulnerability to complicated grief for this client group.

Support for Death Loss and Grief of People with Severe Disabilities

Support for Death Loss and Grief of People with Severe Disabilities

Alternative approaches to conceptualizing grief: A conversation

Abstract As an exploration of alternative approaches to thinking about grief, this paper raises fundamental questions about the nature of grief. Is grief one thing or many? Can we theorize about grief in ways that better take into account its complex tangle of feelings and thoughts, its ambiguity, its differences across people, its changes over time, and the diverse ways in which different people talk about their bereavement? Can we capture the sensitivity of the qualitative researcher and the clinician in conceptualizing the grieving of a particular individual and the diversity of grieving across individuals? In the dialogue, ‘grief’ is discussed as an ‘ontological metaphor’ as opposed to a real reality. Questions are raised about how to theorize about the grief of people who use particular metaphors in talking about their grieving, and two examples are explored, the metaphor of the hole and the metaphor of the journey.

The impact of staff training on the knowledge of support staff in relation to bereavement and people with an intellectual disability

Accessible summary It can be hard for everyone if someone they care for dies. People with a learning disability may need extra support when someone they know dies. Care staff may not always know what to do to help. This study found that 1 day of training helped care staff to know more about how people might feel and how to support them. We do not know how long this training was helpful to staff for. SummaryThis study aimed to investigate whether a 1‐day training course improved support staff knowledge about bereavement and grief in people with a learning disability. A questionnaire based, mixed design was used. Forty‐eight participants were randomly assigned to one of two equal groups. A staggered design allowed for group 2 to act both as a control group and to receive training. Within‐ and between‐group comparisons were made. Training significantly improved staff knowledge in all the areas measured. An analysis of staff knowledge at 1 month after training was not possible due to a low response rate. A short training course was successful in significantly increasing the knowledge of paid carers about issues relating to bereavement for people with a learning disability. The clinical and ethical implications of the study are discussed along with limitations and suggestions for further research.

Grief and bereavement in people with intellectual disabilities

The aim of this article is to present and synthesize recent research on grief and bereavement in people with intellectual disabilities, incorporating relevant studies with the general population. Work in the general population is currently focusing on achieving greater clarity in our understanding of typical and atypical reactions to grief. Although much of this research is relevant to people with intellectual disabilities, this group also presents unique challenges. These include variation in understanding of death, a continuum of grief reactions including pathological or complicated grief, and additional demands faced by professional carers and staff working in this area. However, the research activity is somewhat limited in that it has relied on small-scale studies. The possible recognition of prolonged grief disorder as a distinct clinical entity will have a significant impact on research and intervention of people with pathological or complicated grief. To date, no prospective study of grief and bereavement has been conducted among people with intellectual disabilities. This is essential to best understand the course of grief and complicated grief in people with intellectual disabilities and minimize the levels of functional impairment.

Examination of Proposed Criteria for Complicated Grief in People Confronted with Violent or Non-Violent Loss

In the late 1990s, a panel of experts proposed criteria for complicated grief (CG) and found these to have satisfactory operating characteristics. The present study aimed to replicate that finding in 4 groups of mourners divided by cause of loss and time from loss. Data were available from 1,052 bereaved individuals. All had completed the revised Inventory of Complicated Grief through the Internet. Receiver operator characteristic analysis was used to analyze data. Results showed that, in all 4 groups, the proposed criteria for CG performed well at distinguishing between people who did and did not meet criteria for caseness of CG.

Perceptions of Death and Management of Grief in People with Intellectual Disability

Abstract The authors examine the way in which people with intellectual disability (ID) handle death and mourning, and note that the way in which death and bereavement are being experienced depends – among other things – upon the intellectual and socio‐emotional age of the individual. The authors used the theories formulated by Piaget (cognitive development), Došen (socio‐emotional development), Timmers‐Huigens (strategies of ordering experience), and Fowler (stages of faith) to frame an explanation of how people with ID perceive and experience death. This ranges from hardly any understanding (among persons with profound ID) to a clear realization (among persons with mild ID) of death. Within this framework, the authors offer suggestions and tools for counselors that can be used to help people with ID to manage grief, contingent on their degree of emotional‐cognitive‐social development (e.g., offering closeness and physical contact, using specific rituals, making use of stories and photographs, and allowing participation in farewell rituals).

A review of the emotional, psychiatric and behavioural responses to bereavement in people with intellectual disabilities

Our knowledge and understanding of grief and its consequences have grown rapidly in recent years. There is a growing understanding that bereavement and loss represent a very significant event in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). To date, there is no systematic review of the literature on the emotional, psychiatric and behavioural responses to bereavement in people with IDs. This comprehensive literature review firstly examines the current opinion regarding the phenomenology of pathological grief in the general population. Research examining the ability of people with IDs to understand the concept of death is explored. In addition, a systematic review of the literature looking at the emotional, behavioural and psychiatric responses to bereavement is carried out. Bereavement and loss have distinct effects on the mental health, behaviour and emotional lives of people with IDs. Following a bereavement, symptoms of depression and anxiety increase, and general behaviour is altered. Traumatic grief symptoms have not yet been specifically studied and quantified. Particular difficulties are associated with researching the effects of bereavement on people with IDs. Further work needs to be done to more accurately describe the nature, time-scale, severity and frequency of the symptoms of traumatic grief in people with IDs, in order to improve assessment and treatment of affected individuals.