Psychosocial well-being in bereavement among family members with a special focus on young adults who have lost a parent to cancer

Abstract

Introduction: The loss of a loved one is a distressing life event for family members which often affects psychosocial well-being. Young adults who have lost a parent may be a particularly vulnerable group of bereaved individuals. This age group is often characterized by a certain instability, as the individual has left childhood but has not yet established an adult life, which could further compromise psychosocial well-being after the death of a parent. Young adults who have lost a parent to cancer comprise a sparsely studied group, and increased knowledge about their needs is called for.

Aim: The general aim of this thesis was to explore the psychosocial well-being of family members in bereavement, with a special focus on young adults who have lost a parent to cancer.

Methods: Two different study populations were used to examine the overall aim of this thesis. In Study I, 25 family members who lost a loved one within a palliative care service were interviewed about their supportive interactions with health care staff and their emotional experiences associated with these interactions. The interviews were analyzed with qualitative content analysis. Studies II–IV involved 77 young adults, aged 16–28 years, who had lost a parent to cancer and who participated in a support group within the palliative care context. They responded to a comprehensive questionnaire at three time-points within the first 18 months after their parent’s death. In Study II, loss- and restoration-oriented bereavement stressors, as well as psychosocial well-being, were analyzed with descriptive statistics. Study III investigated longitudinal variations in psychosocial well-being and Study IV examined the relationship between self-esteem and symptoms of anxiety and depression. In both of these studies, descriptive and analytical statistics were used.

Results: Study I showed that: clear information presented in an honest dialogue fosters certainty and security; empathetic and flexible encounters with health care staff promote feelings of warmth and comfort; patient- and family-oriented health care staff gave a sense of value; the atmosphere and physical environment contributed to dignity and harmony; and bereavement support provided feelings of strength. Support groups for parentally bereaved young adults were mentioned as being especially important. Studies II–IV revealed an overall poor psychosocial well-being, for example, many young adults reported symptoms of anxiety and low life satisfaction. However, normal levels of self-esteem and a strong belief in a meaningful future might indicate resilience in grief. Minor improvements in psychosocial well-being were found within the first 18 months after the loss. Higher self-esteem was shown to be associated with less symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Conclusion: The results support the suggestion that young adults who have lost a parent to cancer constitute a specific group in bereavement. The indicated resilience may protect the young adults from long-term problems despite their poor psycho-social well-being. Furthermore, supportive interactions that are perceived as helpful may contribute to the development of good psychosocial well-being.