Relationships of bereaved parents after the child loss [Çocuk kaybı sonrası ebeveynlerin ilişkileri]

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Official URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.5455/kpd.26024438m000052

Parents who lost their child experience higher levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms compared to other parents. Additionally, child loss affects not only individual health but also the relationship between the parents. How does the relationship quality of bereaved parents change after the child loss? In this paper, we first seek to summarize the research that tried to respond to this question and was mostly conducted in Western cultures. Furthermore, we present the contents of limited number of studies conducted in Turkey in different fields. We conclude by discussing the limitations of the literature as well as suggestions for future directions to scrutinize the link between bereaved parents’ relationship quality and grief adjustment. We argue that knowledge in this topic would contribute to the intervention programs that aim to increase grief adjustment of bereaved parents (e.g., better physical and psychological health, lower levels of anxiety and depressive symptoms, post-traumatic growth). This article highlights the importance of focusing on the relationship between bereaved parents in such programs.