A Comparison of the Grief Reaction of Children and Adults

Focusing on Pet Loss and Bereavement

Datos Bibliográficos

ID13629949
AutoresJoann Jarolmen (Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, autor de correspondencia)
Año1998
Volumen37
Número2
Páginas133-150
Fecha de publicación1998-10-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaOMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764
EditorialSAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.2190/h937-u230-x7d9-cvkh
OpenAlexW2130031090
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas9
Referencias citadas17

Based on the fact that the human-animal bond has existed through recorded history and researchers are now beginning to explore humans' reactions to its loss, this study attempts to answer the following questions: Does human attachment to a pet vary with age/stage of development? Does grief vary by age/stage of development? Does the length and intensity of grief change if the loss was anticipated or sudden? The purpose of this study is to understand attachment and bereavement/loss in children and adolescents as compared to adults. The “Pet Attachment Survey,” the “Grief Experience Inventory,” and “Questions for Each Person in the Study” were the instruments used in this study. The participants included 106 children, 57 adolescents, and 270 adults who had lost their pets within a twelve-month interval. The findings suggest that children and adolescents have similar attachments to their pets. Children grieved more than adults in this study. Anticipated grief partially helped participants to allay the grief response

Developmental psychology · Grief · Psychotherapist · Attachment and Relationship Dynamics · Clinical Psychology · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Human-Animal Interaction Studies · Psychology