Loss in the lives of children and adolescents: Understanding a common aspect of adverse events

Abstract

Adverse life events and situations such as educational failure, social rejection, traumatic loss, family breakdown, abuse, migration and dislocation, natural and manmade disaster, chronic illness and death are not uncommon in the lives of children and adolescents. Considerable empirical evidence exists concerning both short- and long-term deleterious effects of such events on the mental health of children and adolescents. There is broad acceptance of the need to find means of preventing, or at least reducing, psychopathology associated with such events or situations. However, those working with children and adolescents are often overwhelmed by the expectation to provide for the legitimate needs of an individual child or adolescent, while having the daily responsibility for large groups of children, many of whom are distressed by adversity. Consequently, a valuable contribution to any program aimed at improving the mental health of children and young people would be the identification of a common aspect of adverse situations, the understanding of which could guide carers and educators in the provision of care for children and adolescents facing diverse life challenges. This paper argues that loss, and the grief associated with loss, is this common element. It reviews and integrates the literature concerning loss to enhance the understanding of families and practitioners of this central aspect of adverse life events.