Sibling Relationships After the Death of a Parent During Childhood
“Everyone Carries Their Own Grief”
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24029265 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Carline J M van Heijningen (0000-0003-1903-3278, Leiden University), Annemarie Samuels (0000-0002-7379-5591, Leiden University), Andrea L Haccou (0009-0009-6687-7474, Leiden University), Bernet M Elzinga (0000-0002-8917-7368, Leiden University), Lenneke R A Alink (0000-0003-3459-0785, Leiden University), Sheila R Van Berkel (0000-0003-4555-4456, Leiden University) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-08-17 |
| 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 Publications (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/00302228261474802 |
| OpenAlex | W7203631799 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 42 |
After the death of a parent, children have to adjust to changes in family roles and dynamics as a result of the loss, including the sibling relationship. The current qualitative study explored, using joint interviews with sibling pairs, how adult siblings experienced the death of their parent during childhood and their sibling relationship over time. Thirteen adult siblings from six families reflected upon their loss experiences and how these affected their sibling relationship. Most sibling pairs described a distance directly after parental death, and an alternating pattern of distance and closeness during adulthood. Sibling relationships were affected by the coping styles of the remaining parent and siblings, difficulties with sharing grief, and shifts in the roles of individual siblings. These findings may help improve support for remaining parents in their effort to help their children in the process of coping with their grief and adapting to the changed family situation.
Closeness · Coping (psychology) · Grief · Sibling · Sibling relationship · Family Support in Illness · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving
Families and Family Therapy
Sibling Relationships Across the Life Span
Grief across cultures
The Parentified Child
The use of family theory in clinical practice
Conducting a Multi Family Member Interview Study
Family Matters in Bereavement
Families as Systems
Losing a parent during childhood
Dyadic Relationships between a Surviving Parent and Children in Widowed Families
Illuminating the landscape of sibling relationship quality
Reflections on Experiencing Parental Bereavement as a Young Person
Interrelatedness of marital relations and parent-child relations
The Effects of Early Parental Death on Sibling Relationships in Later Life
The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement
Loss of the Kin-Keeper
Sibling Support Systems in Childhood after a Parent Dies
Reactions to the Death of a Parent during Midlife
Growing From Grief
Sibling Relationships in Adulthood
Theoretical Perspectives on Sibling Relationships
We've had the same loss, why don't we have the same grief?” loss and differential grief in families
Invitation to grief in the family context
The Dual Process Model of Coping With Bereavement
Sibling Relationships in Emerging Adulthood and in Adolescence
Linked in Life and Death
Changes in Individual Sibling Relationships in Response to Life Events
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Approaches to and Outcomes of Dyadic Interview Analysis
Parental death as a vital conjuncture? Intergenerational care and responsibility following bereavement in Senegal
Life Transitions and the Adult Sibling Tie
How gender shapes sibling tension in adulthood following parental death
Changing Sibling Relationships After Parents' Death
Sibling Relationships Over the Life Course
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |