Secondary Losses in Bereaved Children when Both Parents have Died: A Case Study

Abstract

The death of a child's parent engenders many primary and secondary losses. In this article, a case study is used to examine secondary losses for two children following the sudden deaths of their parents. Childhood bereavement is described as comprised of prolonged pain, gradual acclimation, and tainted experiences. The framework is used to understand primary and secondary losses, as well as the effects of secondary losses and lack of control on the process of childhood bereavement. In this case, secondary losses, especially isolation, exacerbated the bereavement processes of these children. It is proposed that anticipating secondary losses, and minimizing them when possible, perhaps by providing bereaved children more control, is an appropriate framework for intervening with parentally bereaved children.