Finding Support in a Field of Devastation: Bereaved Parents' Narratives of Communication and Recovery

Abstract

The researcher employed Hastings's (2000) use of fractured identities to analyze recovery in 5 married couples’ narratives of parental bereavement. The research question guiding this study asked what forms of communicative support are described in bereaved parents’ narratives that promote the recovery of their fractured identities. Through narratives from in-depth interviews three forms of communication that support recovery were identified: acknowledgement, compassion, and inclusion. A discussion defines recovery and delineates each communicative form. Theoretical implications for supporting fractured identities are explored, as well as practical implications for researchers and social networks. Finally, limitations and areas for future research are addressed.

Keywords:

• Fractured Identity
• Narrative
• Parental Bereavement
• Recovery
• Social Support

Acknowledgments

An earlier version was presented at the annual meeting of the Western States Communication Association, 2011. The author thanks Dr. Brian L. Ott, two anonymous reviewers, and Dr. Brian H. Spitzberg for their helpful comments, and Lisa Braverman for her proofreading assistance.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Gino A. Giannini

Gino A. Giannini is a doctoral student in the Hugh Downs School of Human Communication at Arizona State University. This article uses data from the author's master's thesis, expertly advised by Dr. Patricia Geist-Martin at San Diego State University.