Intergenerational coping: Examining how caregiver and child coping relate to resilience in bereaved children

Abstract

The death of a loved one can have harmful effects on children’s mental health, yet some bereaved children exhibit resilience. Various caregiver and child coping strategies, including active and avoidant coping, may affect the psychosocial functioning of bereaved children. The current study recruited 78 bereaved children aged 8–17 and one of their caregivers to explore: 1) how caregivers’ coping strategies affect their child’s coping strategies and resilience, and 2) associations between children’s coping and their resilience. Results from the active coping mediation model revealed that children’s active coping was significantly associated with their resilience, and caregivers’ active coping was indirectly associated with children’s resilience through children’s active coping. The avoidant coping model was not significant. These preliminary findings highlight the importance of promoting active coping strategies among bereaved children and caregivers.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the University of Memphis Research Fund (principal investigator: Kathryn H. Howell) and the Memphis Research Consortium (principal investigator: Kathryn H. Howell). This support does not necessarily imply endorsement by any of the funding agencies of the study’s research conclusions.