Factors During a Child's Illness Are Associated With Levels of Prolonged Grief Symptoms in Bereaved Mothers and Fathers

摘要

PURPOSE Previous research shows that bereaved parents are at an increased risk for intense and prolonged grief responses. To offer effective support to parents during a childs cancer treatment and after their childs death, more knowledge is needed about factors related to the childs illness trajectory that may contribute to prolonged grief in bereaved parents and about possible sex differences related to such factors. Therefore, we examined possible contributing factors associated with prolonged grief in cancer-bereaved mothers and fathers 1 to 5 years after their child died of cancer.