Caring Connections
A Grounded Theory Study of the Grief and Bereavement Experiences of Children With Intellectual Disabilities
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 13628702 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Arlen Grad Gaines (0000-0001-7243-0286, School of Graduate Studies, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA, corresponding author), Patricia Moyle Wright (0000-0002-0005-0759, University of Scranton), Jaime Goldberg (0000-0002-2165-827X, University of Wisconsin–Madison), Elizabeth Mcadams Ducy (0000-0003-1639-7930, Sonoma State University), Mary Lynn McPherson (University of Maryland, Baltimore), John G Cagle (0000-0001-7809-8667, School of Social Work, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 302228251384463-302228251384463 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-08 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0030-2228 • E-ISSN: 1541-3764 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00302228251384463 |
| PMID | 41060995 |
| OpenAlex | W4414957125 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 28 |
Children with intellectual disabilities (ID) have been minimally represented in grief research. This grounded theory study aimed to elucidate the grief and bereavement experiences of children with ID from the perspective of their caregivers, and optionally from their child, and to develop a substantive theory to guide developmentally inclusive interventions. Eligible participants were caregivers of a child with ID who was 5-17 years old when they experienced the death of someone significant within the past six months to three years. After purposive sampling through disability organizations, adult caregivers ( n = 19) and children ( n = 6) participated in semi-structured interviews. Constant comparative analysis led to the Caring Connections theory, which delineates processes related to internal loss experiences and the outward desire to care for others. With clinical implications, this theory highlights that supporting grieving children with ID includes fostering opportunities for caring and connection, which can enhance coping and may mitigate disenfranchised grief
Coping (psychology · Disenfranchised grief · Grief · Grounded theory · Nonprobability sampling · Perspective (graphical · Theoretical sampling · Family and Disability Support Research · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Migration, Health and Trauma
Handbook of bereavement research and practice
Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy
The construction of reality in the child.
An Overview of Intellectual Disability
Children's Understanding of Death
Validation of the new DSM‐5‐TR criteria for prolonged grief disorder and the PG‐13‐Revised ( PG‐13‐R ) scale
Grounded theory research
Cautioning Health-Care Professionals
The emergence of empathy
A scoping review of theories and models applied for grief and bereavement projects
Methodological Issues for Qualitative Research with Learning Disabled Children
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |