Am J Psychiatry 1979; 136:1152-1156
Copyright © 1979 by American Psychiatric Association
Adults' reactions to the death of a parent: a preliminary study
DP Malinak, MF Hoyt and V Patterson
The authors conducted a systematic psychodynamic investigation directed
explicitly toward the bereavement reactions of people who have lost a
parent during their adult life. They conducted a single in-depth interview
of 14 people with a mean age of 32.4 years who had experienced the death of
a parent in the last 3--20 months. The authors present clinical data
illustrating several themes, including the importance of the last meeting
with the parent, the experience of grief and aggression, coping resources,
and growth-oriented aspects of the bereavement process. They also make a
number of suggestions regarding clinical practice and further research.
