Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative Study
This qualitative study explores the experiences of 24 parents who have experienced the death of a child, focusing on identifying practices that either facilitated or hindered their grieving process. In-depth interviews revealed key supportive practices, including emotional empathy, clear communicati...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/535 |
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| author | Lucía Pelacho-Ríos Samuel Mayoral María José Jorques-Infante Gloria Bernabe-Valero |
| author_facet | Lucía Pelacho-Ríos Samuel Mayoral María José Jorques-Infante Gloria Bernabe-Valero |
| author_sort | Lucía Pelacho-Ríos |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This qualitative study explores the experiences of 24 parents who have experienced the death of a child, focusing on identifying practices that either facilitated or hindered their grieving process. In-depth interviews revealed key supportive practices, including emotional empathy, clear communication, and the presence of healthcare professionals during critical moments. Parents highlighted the significance of support groups, such as “Renacer”, in providing emotional connection, hope, and the opportunity for personal transformation. However, negative experiences emerged related to impersonal communication, lack of empathy, and delays in bureaucratic processes, which aggravated the pain and hindered emotional adjustment over time. The findings underscore the importance of personalized, empathetic care and the need for more efficient systems in supporting grieving parents. These insights can guide professionals in improving grief care, emphasizing respect for the emotional needs of parents and the creation of safe, supportive environments. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-11b595e6476d43fbb2f3c10b2994a77a |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-11b595e6476d43fbb2f3c10b2994a77a2025-08-20T03:14:23ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-04-0115453510.3390/bs15040535Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative StudyLucía Pelacho-Ríos0Samuel Mayoral1María José Jorques-Infante2Gloria Bernabe-Valero3Escuela de Doctorado, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46001 Valencia, SpainFacultad de Psicología, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46100 Valencia, SpainFacultad de Psicología, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46100 Valencia, SpainFacultad de Psicología, Universidad Católica de Valencia San Vicente Mártir, 46100 Valencia, SpainThis qualitative study explores the experiences of 24 parents who have experienced the death of a child, focusing on identifying practices that either facilitated or hindered their grieving process. In-depth interviews revealed key supportive practices, including emotional empathy, clear communication, and the presence of healthcare professionals during critical moments. Parents highlighted the significance of support groups, such as “Renacer”, in providing emotional connection, hope, and the opportunity for personal transformation. However, negative experiences emerged related to impersonal communication, lack of empathy, and delays in bureaucratic processes, which aggravated the pain and hindered emotional adjustment over time. The findings underscore the importance of personalized, empathetic care and the need for more efficient systems in supporting grieving parents. These insights can guide professionals in improving grief care, emphasizing respect for the emotional needs of parents and the creation of safe, supportive environments.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/535parental griefsupport practiceshealthcare professionalsgrief support groupsqualitative studybereavement |
| spellingShingle | Lucía Pelacho-Ríos Samuel Mayoral María José Jorques-Infante Gloria Bernabe-Valero Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative Study Behavioral Sciences parental grief support practices healthcare professionals grief support groups qualitative study bereavement |
| title | Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative Study |
| title_full | Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative Study |
| title_fullStr | Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative Study |
| title_short | Healing Through Support: Beneficial and Detrimental Practices in Parental Grief—A Qualitative Study |
| title_sort | healing through support beneficial and detrimental practices in parental grief a qualitative study |
| topic | parental grief support practices healthcare professionals grief support groups qualitative study bereavement |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/4/535 |
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