Parentally bereaved children and posttraumatic growth: Insights from an ethnographic study of a UK childhood bereavement service

Abstract

Drawing on data generated from a two-year ethnographic study of the Rocky Centre (achildhood bereavement organisation in the UK), this article explores the positive changes and themes of posttraumatic growth experienced by parentally bereaved young people. Although the broader study generated data from participant observation, interviews and a documentary analysis, this article focuses specifically on the interviews with 13 young people to identify the themes of posttraumatic growth that emerged from the participants' narratives. Of these, four had been recently bereaved and nine had experienced the death of a parent over 10 years ago. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed for themes that reflected the young people's experiences of growing through grief. Those identified were as follows: positive outlook, gratitude, appreciation of life, living life to the full, and altruism. Each theme isdiscussed in turn, and the implications of the findings for research and practice are addressed.

Keywords:

• ethnography
• bereavement
• children
• posttraumatic growth
• parental death

Notes

[1] All names used are pseudonyms to protect the identity of the participants.

[2] The Childhood Bereavement Network is a UK multi-professional federation working with bereaved children and young people. It is a national network of service providers and individuals striving to improve access and service provision. Their website address is childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk