Grief and coping of parents whose child has a constant life-threatening disability, hypoplastic left heart syndrome with reference to the Dual-Process Model

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on a study that examined the grief and coping of 29 parents whose child has hypoplastic left heart syndrome using the Dual Process Model. The study employed a secondary thematic analysis of interviews at key times of treatment and recovery for the child. After the diagnosis, parents experienced intense loss (LO), but focused upon restoration-orientated tasks (RO) to support their child. Over time, most parents employed a healthy oscillation between LO coping and RO coping, with waves of grief and with some grieving suppressed. There are some specific grief and coping and gender patterns employed by parents.

Acknowledgments

Professor Lou Harms and the Melbourne University Social Work Dept., Dr Martin Ryan, Ass/Prof Henk Schut, Prof Simon Shimshon Rubin, Prof Bob Neimeyer, and friends of the IWG who encouraged this manuscript.