Article Version of Record

Negative Changes in a Couple’s Relationship After a Child’s Death

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Salakari, Anneli
Kaunonen, Marja
Aho, Anna Liisa

Abstract / Description

The purpose of this study was to describe negative changes in parents’ relationships following the death of their child. A request to join the study was presented to members of grief associations through email and websites. Additionally, data were gathered through closed internet-groups where parents who had experienced the death of their child were logged in (e.g. in Facebook). The study participants were mothers (n = 321) and fathers (n = 36) whose child had died. The data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. As negative changes in their relationship following the death of their child, parents reported the following: problems caused by failing mental health, problems due to changes in identity, increased difficulty of emotional communication, and decreased sexual intimacy. In addition, decreased sense of togetherness, behaviour that damages the relationship, everyday life straining the relationship, and emotions straining the relationship. It is concluded that a child’s death brings many kinds of negative changes to the parents’ relationship. The changes manifest as problems in the parents’ interaction, their behaviour, and their emotional life. The results can be utilized in supporting the relationships of grieving parents, developing different kinds of support interventions, and in nursing education.

Keyword(s)

couple’s relationship child’s death grief qualitative study

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2014-12-19

Journal title

Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships

Volume

8

Issue

2

Page numbers

193–209

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Salakari, A., Kaunonen, M., & Aho, A. L. (2014). Negative Changes in a Couple’s Relationship After a Child’s Death. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, 8(2), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.v8i2.166
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Salakari, Anneli
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Kaunonen, Marja
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Aho, Anna Liisa
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-12-05T08:44:39Z
  • Made available on
    2018-12-05T08:44:39Z
  • Date of first publication
    2014-12-19
  • Abstract / Description
    The purpose of this study was to describe negative changes in parents’ relationships following the death of their child. A request to join the study was presented to members of grief associations through email and websites. Additionally, data were gathered through closed internet-groups where parents who had experienced the death of their child were logged in (e.g. in Facebook). The study participants were mothers (n = 321) and fathers (n = 36) whose child had died. The data were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. As negative changes in their relationship following the death of their child, parents reported the following: problems caused by failing mental health, problems due to changes in identity, increased difficulty of emotional communication, and decreased sexual intimacy. In addition, decreased sense of togetherness, behaviour that damages the relationship, everyday life straining the relationship, and emotions straining the relationship. It is concluded that a child’s death brings many kinds of negative changes to the parents’ relationship. The changes manifest as problems in the parents’ interaction, their behaviour, and their emotional life. The results can be utilized in supporting the relationships of grieving parents, developing different kinds of support interventions, and in nursing education.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Salakari, A., Kaunonen, M., & Aho, A. L. (2014). Negative Changes in a Couple’s Relationship After a Child’s Death. Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships, 8(2), 193–209. https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.v8i2.166
    en_US
  • ISSN
    1981-6472
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1830
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.2196
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/ijpr.v8i2.166
  • Keyword(s)
    couple’s relationship
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    child’s death
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    grief
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    qualitative study
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Negative Changes in a Couple’s Relationship After a Child’s Death
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Interpersona: An International Journal on Personal Relationships
  • Page numbers
    193–209
  • Volume
    8
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record