Ambiguous Loss Theory Research Articles

The Emotional Aftermath of Surviving an Attempted Intimate Partner Homicide.

While the issue of intimate partner homicide (IPH) has gained increasing focus, research that pinpoints the experiences of women who survived an attempted IPH is limited. Specifically, studies that aim to understand the aftermath of surviving such incidents are scarce. Thus, the aim of the present study was to explore the emotional experience of IPH survivors following the attack. An interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the narratives of 11 women who had survived an attempted homicide by their partner. Four major themes emerged: Living between dichotomies: A fragmented identity; Embodied fear: A fear that will not go away; The loss of future: A life divided; and The loneliness of surviving the "unsurvivable." Utilizing the ambiguous loss theory to examine the emotional ramifications of IPH indicates that survivors navigate persistent confusion and struggle to comprehend the loss. This involves challenges in moving forward and achieving resolution, conflicting emotions related to the loss, minimal recognition of the grief, and limited support from the social environment.

Interpersonal dynamics of traumatic brain injury within romantic relationships described in online forums

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) can have serious consequences for people’s physical health and the quality of their romantic relationships. Less clear, however, are the interpersonal dynamics of couples navigating the aftermath of TBI. We used data scraping techniques to capture five years of posts submitted to online help-seeking forums, and we analyzed the resulting 349 single-spaced pages of data using codebook thematic analysis. Both TBI survivors and partners reported the focal themes of personality changes and relationship changes. TBI survivors emphasized a lack of understanding that led to grief and loss, relational uncertainty, and isolation. Partners reported poor treatment that culminated in negative emotions and relational uncertainty. The data showed notable similarities and differences between TBI survivors and partners. We interpret the results via four prominent theories of marriage and family relationships: ambiguous loss theory, relational turbulence theory, the theory of resilience and relational load, and family systems theory. Overall, our findings shed light on interpersonal dynamics after TBI and lay a foundation for future theoretical and clinical advances.

LGBTQ+ disclosure: challenges and possibilities

This paper uses Ambiguous Loss Theory to explore the anticipatory and ambiguous losses and stressors surrounding the decision to come out as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer. Purposive sampling was used to administer a survey to 429 individuals who identified as LGBTQ+ about their coming out decisions and experiences. Data were coded and three major themes were developed: (1) the need for psychosocial safety (fear of being disowned, shunned or abandoned); (2) experiences of anxiety, depression, emotional stress, and shame; and (3) the pursuit of authenticity, self-discovery and liberation. Findings from the study indicate that coming out for LGBTQ+ individuals in the twenty first century remains accompanied by challenges and fears, both before and after the process, which significantly affects individuals’ health and safety. In the longer term, despite the challenges, stressors and losses identified by participants, most reported that disclosing their sexual orientation had greatly improved their health and mental well-being.

Ambiguous marital identity and conflict: A study of the half-widows in Jammu and Kashmir

The Kashmir conflict over the years has produced a new class of women known as half-widows—wives of disappeared men. Half-widows are differentially affected by conflict due to their relationship with men. This article aims to explore the heterogeneity of the experiences of half-widows. The husband's disappearance not only resulted in their ambiguous marital status but also had a ripple effect on other aspects of life. Therefore, using a socio-ecological approach, this study appropriates Pauline Boss’s Ambiguous Loss Theory to understand and analyze the multifaceted vulnerabilities of half-widows. Based on fieldwork in Kashmir, this study argues that the multifaceted vulnerabilities and everyday challenges form complex emotions and conflicting roles and responsibilities due to the half-widow’s ambiguous marital status. The disappeared husband’s physical absence and psychological presence push the half-widows into a state of flux between the past and present. As a result, half-widows find themselves grappling with socio-economic hardships and psychological distress, exacerbating their unresolved grief and feelings of hopelessness. By highlighting these critical human rights issues, we aim to offer a nuanced perspective on the everyday struggles encountered by half-widows, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of their lived experiences.

Relationship intimacy in older couples when one partner has mild cognitive impairment: A qualitative study

AbstractObjectiveIn this research, we examine perceptions of couple relationships and intimacy among older couples when one partner is diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), based on ambiguous loss theory.BackgroundMany studies have examined couples with one partner affected by dementia, yet few have explored intimacy when the affected partner is diagnosed with MCI.MethodA qualitative‐phenomenological approach in which data were collected through in‐depth, semistructured, face‐to‐face interviews with 16 men and women aged 67–90.ResultsThe nondiagnosed partners live in the present while acknowledging the changes caused by aging and the diagnosis. In contrast, the diagnosed partners tend to live in the past. In line with ambiguous loss theory, the nondiagnosed partners reported that their diagnosed spouses are physically present yet many aspects of their personalities are partially absent.ConclusionThe findings reveal two patterns of coping with the consequences of loss. Understanding these relationships offers insights into how to care for individuals with MCI.ImplicationsThe results highlight that individuals with MCI and their partners do not invariably constitute a homogenous group, necessitating a critical appraisal of partners' roles and expectations before initiating therapeutic interventions.

Ambiguous Loss In The Context OfForced Separation And Forced Adoption

Purpose. The article provides a theoretical overview of the theory of ambiguous loss in the focus of physical absence with the psychological presence of a loved one. Methods. To achieve the purpose of the study, the methods of scientific theoretical study were used: analysis, synthesis, structuring, and generalization. Results. Based on the analysis of research on the forced separation of children from their families and its psychological consequences, we can state that the theory of ambiguous loss is important in the situation of forced adoption of illegally displaced children. The theory of ambiguous loss clearly explains the mechanism of experiencing separation from a loved one, when this separation is not fully understood - there is no clear knowledge of the person's status: alive or dead, or the person is physically present but mentally absent, as in the case of dementia. The theory of ambiguous loss clearly explains three types of consequences: immobilization (affects the ability to communicate), consequences at the level of relationships (conflicts due to different views of the situation) and on the personality (manifestations of such conditions as depression, anxiety, guilt, etc.). Conclusions. The model of finding resilience in the face of uncertain loss includes such interrelated structural blocks as finding meaning, tempering mastery, reconstructing identity, normalizing ambivalence, revising attachment and discovering hope. The experience of working with displaced children in El Salvador is also important, because of studying the «disappearance» and "reunification" stages. They formed the basis for adapting the model of resilience in ambiguous loss to study the psychological consequences of forced adoption. The prospects for further research are in the empirical study of the psychological consequences of the forced adoption traumatic situation for children and their families.

Longing to belong: The ambiguous loss of Indigenous fostered/adopted individuals

BackgroundIndigenous fostered/adopted individuals report high levels of grief because of their foster care/adoption. Little has been done, however, to explore how grief is experienced and the factors that contribute to said grief for fostered/adopted Indigenous individuals. ObjectiveThis study examined the experiences of loss and grief of Indigenous individuals fostered/adopted during childhood. Participants and settingParticipants were 102 Indigenous fostered/adopted individuals who described the experiences of loss and grief related to adoption. MethodsThis study utilized secondary data from the Fostered and Adopted Individuals Project. Inductive thematic analysis was conducted on open-ended survey data. ResultsTwo themes emerged: (1) ambiguous loss as a result of foster care and adoption and (2) the effects of the ambiguous loss that stem from foster care and adoption. Indigenous fostered/adopted persons experienced ambiguous loss in foster care and adoption. Their loss remained unresolved due to a loss of access to information about their family and tribe of origin. Although family of origin, tribal community, and culture were not physically present due to separation by foster care/adoption, they remained psychologically present. As a result of ambiguous loss, participants experienced disenfranchised grief, wondering and longing to belong, and mental health and substance abuse. ConclusionThis study is the first of its kind to explore the loss and grief experiences of fostered/adopted Indigenous individuals using ambiguous loss theory. Ambiguous loss theory offers a framework for contextualizing the loss and grief that begins at separation and is present in adulthood.

A nuanced look into youth journeys of gender transition and detransition

AbstractSome media have suggested that many youths who have previously completed a gender transition are “detransitioning”. Their experience is often framed around the idea of regrets but rare are the articles that provide a nuanced examination of their journey. This article presents the perspectives of youths who have detransitioned or discontinued a transition regarding their experiences and feelings on their journey from transition to detransition. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 20 youths between the age of 16 and 25 years who were recruited on social media and who transitioned and detransitioned or discontinued their transition. Data were analysed according to thematic analysis. Regrets and feelings of satisfaction can both coexist. The processes of transition and discontinuation or detransition appear to be non‐linear and participants do not necessarily return to a cisgender identity. Ambiguous loss theory is applied to frame youth experiences and feelings and to suggest way forward for intervention.Highlights This paper examines the experiences and feelings of youth on their journey from transition to detransition. Their journey is experienced as non‐linear, and often comprised mixed feelings and experiences about transition and detransition steps. Ambiguous loss theory allows a nuanced understanding of feelings and experiences of their journey from transition to detransition.

Using the Theory of Family Boundary Ambiguity and Ambiguous Loss to Understand the Experiences of Foster Carers’ Own Children

Abstract In England, nearly three-quarters of looked after children are cared for in foster families. Despite this, relatively little is known about the experiences of foster carers’ children in families who foster. This study used narrative interviews to explore the experiences of twelve adults now aged eighteen to fifty-four years who had been brought up in such families. Their families had fostered for much or all of their childhood and growing up in a fostering family had had a considerable impact on them. Most participants viewed some of the fostered children as siblings and continued to do so into adulthood. The analysis used the theory of family boundary ambiguity and ambiguous loss to gain a deeper understanding of the participants’ experiences. The findings suggest that there is a need for much greater awareness of the issues that foster carers’ own children face. They also suggest that a change in how foster placements are supported needs to include a greater focus on the children of foster carers.

The Afterlife of Mass Incarceration, or What Does It Mean to Need a “Brute” in the Twenty-First Century?

The Afterlife of Mass Incarceration, or What Does It Mean to Need a “Brute” in the Twenty-First Century?

Learning to Live With Ambiguity: Rethinking Ambiguous Loss for Mothers of Children With Disabilities

The purpose of this study was to explore the mothering experiences of children with disabilities. The theory of ambiguous loss was applied to interpret the meanings that mothers give to the process of caregiving and the ways they stay proactive in the midst of challenges. Eleven mothers of children ages 6 to 35 with various disabilities participated in in-depth interviews to talk about their child’s educational history, their family’s routine, and the rewards and challenges of raising a child with disabilities. Findings illustrate that the mothers faced different experiences of ambiguity depending on the visible or invisible nature of their child’s disabilities. However, regardless of the nature of the disabilities, the mothers had learned to live with ambiguity in the face of new and continuous challenges. They did this by redefining their lives through maintaining valued identities as mothers and redefining the meaning of family. Findings also imply that the scope of ambiguous loss needs to be expanded.

The Ambiguity of Parenting Adult Children With Substance Use Disorder.

Background. Substance Use Disorder can impede parent-child relationships. The Theory of Ambiguous Loss provides a structure for occupational therapy practitioners in developing interventions to support the parent-child relationship. Purpose. This study explores the roles of parents of adult children diagnosed with Substance Use Disorder in the context of the Theory of Ambiguous Loss. Method. Volunteer participants were recruited from three urban parental support groups. Inclusion criteria were involved in a support group and having an adult child diagnosed with Substance Use Disorder. Eight mothers and one father participated in semi-structured interviews using a phenomenological approach. Themes and structural descriptions were developed. Findings. Five themes were identified: hopeful coping, occupational interference, changes in social constructs and participation, burdenful caregiving and receiving, and blending of occupations. Themes offer intervention considerations for occupational therapy. Implications. Research provides additional conceptual consideration to build occupation-centered interventions for parents and their adult children in Substance Use Disorder recovery.

Ambiguous Loss and Coping Strategies in Couples Raising a Child With Down Syndrome: A Qualitative Directed Content Analysis Study

Despite years of research about developmental diversity, relatively little is known about the experience of couples raising a child with Down syndrome. Previous research has identified that Ambiguous Loss Theory can be helpful to understand the parents’ process of navigating the uncertainty, challenges, stressors, and demands of raising a child diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder. Building on previous research and the framework of ambiguous loss, this study sought to provide insight into the lived experience of couples raising a child diagnosed with Down syndrome. Using a qualitative directed content analysis of the paired responses to open-ended questions from 16 couples, the current study provides insight into the couple’s experience of ambiguous loss and greater understanding about their coping strategies. Results indicated a process of dealing with ambiguous loss by most couples. Coping strategies reported by the couples included medical and educational advocacy, deepening and building connections, and gaining new perspectives on raising a child with Down syndrome. Implications for policy and practice are also included, based on the coping strategies, skills, and resources available to parents of children with Down syndrome or other neurodevelopmental disorders.

“Locked Out of Caregiving”: A Case Study of Dementia Caregiving During the Covid-19 Pandemic

An estimated 69.5 million Americans are reported to be grandparents. Among them, about 10% are raising grandchildren and the number of grandparents who are raising grandchildren (GRG) is increasing. Previous research on GRG suggests that the unexpected caregiving duties may lead to negative physical and mental health including more depressive symptoms when compared to non-caregiving grandparents (NGRG). Additionally, grandparent-grandchild relationships determined by emotional availability (EA) of the grandparent may be impacted. These factors might further be complicated, especially as it relates to the health and well-being of GRG, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, the overarching goal of this presentation is to use the biopsychosocial model to present a conceptual framework to test the mental well-being of GRG during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this presentation, we will 1) summarize appropriate literature on GRG; 2) share a COVID-19 health and well-being assessment survey designated for GRG in order to assess their health before and since the COVID pandemic; and 3) propose a conceptual model to investigate and test the protective role of physical activity and GRG’s EA in the grandparent-grandchild relationship for the mental health of GRG. In our model, we argue that GRG experience more COVID-19 pandemic-related stress and more depressive symptoms when compared to NGRG. This proposed conceptual model offers one way to test the predictors of depressive symptoms on GRG. Future testing has the potential to shed new light on the development of appropriate intervention programs tailored to maintain the mental health of GRG.

"Locked Out of Caregiving": A Case Study of Dementia Caregiving During the Covid-19 Pandemic

It is unclear how ambiguous loss in dementia caregiving is impacted by conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic. Ambiguous loss describes situations in which closure is impossible and ambiguities within a family system ensue. Two situations of ambiguous loss exist. In the first type, one is psychologically absent, yet physically present, e.g. when one has dementia. In the second type, one is physically absent but psychologically present, e.g. moving to a nursing home. Ambiguous loss theory was applied to longitudinal interviews with an adult-child caregiver (age=52) of a mother with dementia, who resided in memory care during the Covid-19 pandemic. Theoretical analysis revealed both types of ambiguous loss were experienced in the dementia caregiving relationship. This was embedded within ambiguous loss type 2 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, e.g. social distancing and quarantine practices led to physical estrangement from others and ambiguity ensued about when, or if, estrangement would end before resulting in death. Further, the coping mechanisms defined in the ambiguous loss framework: restructuring identity, finding meaning, gaining mastery, increasing ambivalence capacity, reframing attachments, and gaining hope, were compromised due to overarching ambiguous loss attributed to the pandemic. Continued panic and frustration regarding lack of communication with and access to the memory care center instilled a sense of being “locked out of caregiving.” Findings suggest dementia caregivers may experience both types of ambiguous loss compounded during the Covid-19 pandemic, suspending grief and coping processes, and inciting poorly understood needs and challenges that must be better understood to support dementia caregivers.

Grief experiences in parents of adult children with serious mental illness

AbstractBecause of systemic changes in mental health treatment since deinstitutionalization, parents have taken on more involved roles for their children with serious mental illness (SMI), even when their children have reached young adulthood. However, the changes in parental roles and relationships with their adult children with SMI, and the grief that stems from those changes, have not been adequately reflected in research or treatment interventions. Studies primarily focus on individual perspectives and neglect the relational nature of grief within a family. The absence of a family perspective in treatment systems leave parents to navigate grief and loss on their own. In this article, we systematically review 12 papers on the grief experiences of parents of an adult child with SMI. Through a thematic analysis of the findings it becomes clear that there is a need for employing a family theoretical perspective to address the inherent relational nature of grief. Ambiguous loss theory provides a relationally grounded model which expands our understanding of parents' grief and gives direction for more effective interventions for families.

Y el luto sigue (and the grief continues): Latinx Immigrant's Experiences of Ambiguous Loss in the Age of Restrictive Immigration Policy

ObjectiveInformed by Boss's ambiguous loss theory and an ecological perspective, this study examined Latinx immigrant mothers' experiences of loss associated with their immigration status and the restrictive immigration policy climate.BackgroundUndocumented participants strive to maintain international familial ties and experience loss in their inability to see or share a space with loved ones in their country of origin due to restrictive immigration policy and enforcement that inhibits their international mobility.MethodsIn‐depth semistructured interviews were completed with 25 Latinx immigrant mothers who were mostly undocumented or members of mixed‐status families.ResultsFindings support a model of transnational loss. Loss is experienced at premigration, upon arrival, and long after settlement. Participants' quotes illustrate their experiences of ambiguous, anticipatory, and complicated loss. In addition, transnational loss was described as a shared experience, one that impacted many undocumented immigrants in the United States and participants' family members. A subtheme, intergenerational loss, emerged in which children vicariously experienced their parents' loss.ConclusionTransnational loss is disenfranchised because it is not socially recognized, leaving immigrants to mourn in silence.ImplicationsPractitioners serving immigrant communities should integrate grief and loss support through psychoeducation, assessments, and therapy. At a policy level, immigrants need to have the opportunity to adjust their status so that they can reclaim these lost social interactions.

“I feel like God doesn't like me”: Faith and Ambiguous Loss Among Transgender Youth

ObjectiveThe present study expands the use of ambiguous loss theory into the realm of religion and religious rejection for sexual‐ and gender‐minority people, an area that has previously been addressed primarily as an issue of minority stress.BackgroundResearch has demonstrated that religion‐based, nonaffirming messaging from family and faith communities is correlated with decreased health and well‐being of sexual‐ and gender‐minority persons, who are, like most Americans, likely to have been raised in religious (predominately Christian) homes. Existing research has begun to explain why nonaffirming faith affiliation seems to negatively impact sexual gender minority people, but it does not explain the mechanisms of long‐term distress.MethodsThis study is a qualitative thematic analysis of religion and family data from semistructured interviews with 63 transgender youth from the United States, Canada, and Ireland who reported being raised in religious Christian homes.ResultsAnalysis revealed that the narratives of participants who had been members of a psychological family of faith included all of the core elements of ambiguous loss, suggesting that individuals can experience ambiguous loss in relationship to a faith community and to God.DiscussionThis study presents a new application of Boss's ambiguous loss theory and offers a framework for understanding why sexual‐ and gender‐minority people from Christian backgrounds might experience long‐term distress in relation to faith and spirituality whether they stay in their faith communities of origin or move on to something else.ImplicationsThe experiences of transgender people examined through the framework of ambiguous loss and the concept of the psychological family of faith could be applied to research with people from any demographic in relation to loss of faith or faith community. This information may contribute to the study of family ruptures that occur as a result of family experiences of ideological or moral incompatibility (e.g., deconversion, political realignment, leaving a cult).

Care leavers, ambiguous loss and early parenting: explaining high rates of pregnancy and parenting amongst young people transitioning from out-of-home care

AbstractThis paper is a narrative review examining the high prevalence of care leaver early parenting in the context of (i) key transitions from care studies taken from the last few decades, (ii) a structured review using Scopus of studies from 2015–2020 focussed specifically on young people transitioning from care and early parenting and (iii) Boss’s (2010) Ambiguous Loss theory. Young care leavers’ challenges, in general, put them at higher risk of protective interventions with their children and may contribute to the growing numbers of children being placed in increasingly over-stretched out-of-home care systems. Questions of surveillance bias for service-connected young people are examined in light of recent large-scale studies using administrative data sets. Serious oversights in responding to young people’s experiences of trauma and exploitation are identified. The relevance of sexual health programs for young people actively seeking pregnancies is discussed with emerging evidence that disengagement from schooling may have more of a role in explaining early pregnancy and parenting than previously thought. The authors test the relevance of Ambiguous Loss theory in understanding how removal from families of origin and placement experiences may affect young people and lead to ‘wanted’ pregnancies.

Absence and Presence – Living the Mystery: A Model of Care for African American Women Using the Theory of Ambiguous Loss

This paper re-conceptualizes the theory of ambiguous loss to engage historical and contemporary realties of African American women’s lived experiences. Ambiguous Loss theory suggests that a family member can be emotionally or psychologically present but physically absent or physically present but psychologically absent. The paper asserts that African American women always have lived with ambiguity and suggests reclaiming tenets of the theory. As a case study, the paper uses the lives of women in Ava DuVerney’s Queen Sugar and lyrics of the series’ theme song to explore the dilemma of expected ways of being (“keep the color in the line”) alongside desire (“dreams never dying”) and hopes (“taking flight”). The paper encourages African American women to pursue healing while living the mystery while unapologetically reclaiming and reframing what it means to live with ambiguity. It proposes a model of care that centralizes spirit and spirit work, rituals and music and dance, radical socialization, creating a spirit space for inner well-being, using power from the periphery, reclaiming collective memories, and leaving a signpost for the generations to remember.