Gesinsgehardheid in gesinne waarin 'n kind oorlede is

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A child's death represents a traumatic loss, which can be understood as a crisis impacting on thefamily as a functioning unit. The purpose of the current study was to investigate grief and resiliencein families in which a child has died, while specifically focusing on the internal resistance resourceof family hardiness. A cross-sectional research design was implemented concurrently with intensiveinterviews conducted according to the principles of grounded theory. In total, 35 bereaved parentsfrom the Western Cape participated in the study as representatives of 23 families. The participantseach completed three questionnaires, a biographical questionnaire, the Family Hardiness Index andthe Family Attachment and Changeability Index 8. Pearson and Spearman correlational analysesindicated significant positive correlations between family hardiness scores (including scores on thesubscales for commitment, challenge and control) and family adaptation (measured by use of theFamily Attachment and Changeability Index 8). Significant associations were also found betweencertain biographical variables and family hardiness. Intensive interviews were, furthermore,conducted with participants representing 12 different families. The analysis of interviewtranscriptionsresulted in the formulation of various thematic categories, such as grief-reactions,continuing bonds, external support, religion, as well as the core category of family hardiness. Agrounded theory was thus developed concerning grief and resilience in families in which a child hasdied. The results of the study reveal the importance of qualitative methods to explore the uniqueexperiences of bereaved parents and families with the purpose of constructing applied interventionson the family level. The family hardiness concept was also clarified and shown to be a possibleresistance resource conducive to family adaptation following the loss of a child.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University