The material presented this week affected my understanding of children’s response to death in many ways. First, I was not aware that each child is unique in his or her understanding of death and response to grief. I learned that children and teens understand and respond to grief differently. This understanding and response are influenced by a number of factors. Some of the main factors that influence a child’s response to grief/loss include the pre-existing relationship with the deceased, role of the deceased in the child's life, nature of death, child's personality and previous experiences with death/loss, and the child's relationship with the surviving parent or guardian. Thus, it is important to recognize how these factors contribute to a child's grief reactions.
The material presented this week also helped me realize the importance of providing ongoing attention, reassurance, and support to children who have lost their loved one(s). Studies indicate that grief can resurface later on, as the child moves through the different stages of life, and develop as individuals. This is because children tend to adapt to grief differently. Some children may have more difficulty adapting at the time of death, while others may have late adjustment problems appearing in the second anniversary (Worden, 2009). As such, bereaved children will need support, nurturance, and continuity after the death of a parent.
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The material presented this week has also helped me understand the key factors in changing relationship dynamics –gender of the surviving parent and the ages of the children. Studies indicate that children tend to be closer to their surviving parent. I have also learned that the functionality of the surviving parent is a factor in changing relationship dynamics as it strongly affects the functioning of a child after a loss. For instance, if the parent is depressed, the child is likely to have difficulty adjusting to that loss. Overall, the material presented this week was beneficial in the sense that it helped me learn a lot about how children respond to death.
References
Worden, W. (2018). Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy: A handbook for the mental health practitioner . NY: Springer Publishing.
