Mothers Now Childless: Personal Transformation after the Death of an Only Child

Abstract

This author's research is the first to address the dual loss of a child and of the role of parent. Earlier published findings (Talbot, 1996–97 & 1997–98) have emphasized the search for meaningful ways to continue “mothering” as part of a new, more integrated identity which acknowledges the child's death but also preserves the child's memory and honors the woman's past life as a mother. A positive life attitude (as measured by the Life Attitude Profile-Revised, Reker, 1992) was found to be an important indicator of adaptation to this unique form of bereavement. This third article discusses the impact of loss on human development and reports on factors associated with changes in personal identity experienced by the participants. Four factors were found to be common among those participants who felt they had survived their loss and changed in positive ways: 1) resolving a spiritual crisis brought about by the child's death; 2) making a conscious decision to survive; 3) reaching out to help others by volunteering or working in a helping profession; and 4) integrating what was learned from surviving the child's death into a new, more compassionate identity.

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