Balk, D.E. (1991, January). Death and adolescent bereavement. Journal of Adolescent Research, 6(1).

OVERVIEW

 

 

DESIGN

 

 

COPING WITH PARENT’S DEATH

 

 

COPING WITH A SIBLING’S DEATH

"Self-concept measures have indicated that bereaved adolescents resembled their non-bereaved peers." (Balk 1981, 1983) Emotional responses become intense and apparently diminish over time, but for many adolescents confusion, depression, anger, and guilt lingered." (Balk, 1981, 1983)

        Physical Health . "Physical health deteriorated over time for bereaved adolescents and remained different than the physical health of non-bereaved adolescent controls over a 4-year period. (Guerriero & Fleming, 1985)."Academics. "Grades and study habits are noticeably affected following a sibling’s death, with a decrease in both reported by a significant portion of bereaved adolescents." (Balk 1981, 1983, Hogan 1987) In time, grades returned to normal.Gender differences. "Gender distinguished adolescent bereavement reactions." (Balk 1981, 1983)Religion. "Religion took on increasing importance for many of the bereaved adolescents whom Balk (1981, 1988, 1991) studied, but this turn to religion occurred only after considerable questioning of their anger at God."

Family relations. "Families marked with closeness report an enduring sense of depression, but no longer report feeling afraid, lonely or numb." (Balk, 1983) In families marked by emotional distance,"bereaved adolescents report that they initially felt guilty and angry, but were unlikely to feel shocked, numb or afraid..." Over time, they "report feeling confused about their sibling’s death and report a sense of relief that the ordeal of grief is over." (Balk 1983)

COPING WITH ONE’S OWN IMPENDING DEATH

 

COPING WITH DEATH OF A FRIEND

 

FINDINGS

According to Balk:

 

 

 

Bereavement produces intense and enduring emotional stress that outsiders seldom appreciate. (Balk, 1981; Osterweis, Solomon-Green, 1984; Silver & Wortman, 1980)

Effects of bereavement affect many areas of an adolescent’s life; for instance, self-concept and identity, formation, interpersonal relations, school work, family involvement and overall psychological well being.

Bereavement can impair successful completion of developmental tasks and present obstacles to what otherwise might have been normal transitions to young adulthood.

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

• How can schools and churches be more sensitive to kids’ needs to process their grief? How can they help them deal with grief and its symptoms? How should schools respond to death of one of its students?
• What does the experience of death and dying do to adolescents’ development? What kind of help do they need?
• How can research be encouraged in this area?

 

IMPLICATIONS

• Experiencing the death of a parent, sibling, or a friend has long term effects on adolescents.
• Adolescent bereavement affects development as it interrupts their normal process. If an adolescent does not get through the grief process, they may be weak in some areas of development—such as self-esteem.
• Youth leaders need to encourage and aid adolescent bereavers. Recognize the difficulties they are encountering in areas (such as physical health, family relations, and general relationships) while compassionately guiding them through the difficulties encountered in the loss someone special in their lives.

 

Jennifer Seery cCYS  

There is a need for longitudinal research, for a theoretical model, and for integration with traditional areas of adolescent research. The above research is a good start, but more will be accomplished in a comprehensive, longer term study.

"Peer bereavement in adolescents is a matter of...disenfranchised grief (Berardo 1988, Dolca 1986) and forgotten grievers (LaGrand, 1985)."

Kubler-Ross (1969) spoke of stages; denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. Wass and Stillion (1988) said that adolescents understand the full implications of their own death but are forced into a quandary. Adams & Deveau (1986) stated that adolescents want to know what is happening with them. Cook & Oltjenbruns (1989) reported that dying adolescents use "more mature coping strategies."

Balk mentions a study done by Gray (1987a, 1987b) which studied 50 adolescents between the ages of 12 and 19 whose parents had died; the average age when deaths occurred was 14.9 years. Gray used several data-gathering approaches, including the Beck Depression Inventory and Imaginary Audience Scale. Scores on the BDI were higher than depression scores reported for non-bereaved...Participants who reported low social support had much higher BDI scores than adolescents whose social support was perceived to be high...Furthermore, depression scores were significantly lower for adolescents who indicated they held religious or spiritual beliefs...Average grades dropped much more for younger adolescents (15 and under) who had lost a parent, and Gray (1987b) noted that changes in cognition during early adolescents may be obstructed when the youth is coping with a traumatic loss.

He discusses related studies and their results in areas of coping with parent death, sibling death, one’s own impending death, and death of a friend. He also discusses research needs.

Balk writes about the effects of death and dying on adolescents and the need for more research in the area of adolescent bereavement—especially on the impact of a friend’s death.