Submitted in fulfilment ofthe requirements for the degree of D.Phil in psychology in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2005. / Increasingly, hundreds of thousands of children under the age of seven are experiencing the death of their parents in South Africa. Scholarly debate pertaining to childhood bereavement has been and continues to be an arena lacking in clarity, particularly with respect to how this experience impacts upon the young child. To this end, this inquiry attempts to capture an in-depth understanding of this experience and stimulate awareness regarding the needs of bereaved children. Through a phenomenological approach this investigation focuses specifically on the personal experience of six children who experienced the death of a parent during their pre-school years, in the context of a group format. An aspect of the inquiry explores the debate around intervention and service provision for bereaved children. Six core themes are derived which reflect perceptions of this loss. The value of a phenomenological approach with relevance to the study of early bereavement is illuminated. Some limitations of this study are recognized and suggestions for future research are proposed. Based on the insights gleaned through this study, implications are brought to the fore that pertain to the general experience of parental bereavement and service delivery, with particular regard to the context of South Africa.

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Yes / Dying, death and bereavement do not occur in a social vacuum. How individuals and groups experience these phenomena will be largely influenced by the social context in which they occur. To develop an adequate understanding of dying, death and bereavement we therefore need to incorporate a sociological perspective into our analysis. This paper examines why a sociological perspective is necessary and explores various ways in which sociology can be of practical value in both intellectual and professional contexts. A case study comparing psychological and sociological perspectives is offered by way of illustration.

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Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity International University, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-113).

Title from title page of PDF (University of Missouri--St. Louis, viewed March 1, 2010). Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-67).

Many children are affected by the loss of a parent. In South Africa this is exacerbated by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Therefore the Durban Children's Home responded by developing a Bereavement Programme for children who lost a loved one through death and where in its care. Hence this study was conducted at the Durban Children's Home which is a residential care facility for children in Kwazulu-Natal. The Bereavement Programme offered to adolescents at this facility was evaluated. The main aim of the research was to assess the implementation of the Bereavement Programme and to determine whether the Bereavement Programme was useful in helping children cope with grief. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used. McKendrick's (1989) model and Marsden, Oakley and Pratt's (1994) model of evaluating programmes provided the framework for this study. The process entailed administering questionnaires to a purposive sample of 18 children between the ages of twelve and seventeen years who have experienced the death of a loved one and who have attended the Bereavement Programme offered at Durban Children's Home. Twelve children also attended the focus group. Data that was collected from the specialised child care workers, child care workers, a focus group with the children as well formal reports of the Bereavement Programme triangulated information, thereby enhancing the trustworthiness of the study. Information on the adolescents' background was also gathered to reflect the complexity of the children's experiences. The findings of the study indicated that the Bereavement Programme was beneficial in meeting the needs of grieving children within a controlled therapeutic environment. The findings also suggested that the Bereavement Programme had a healing effect on children hence, helping them to gain closure as well as improve their behaviour and academic performance. The findings further pointed to the Programme being cost effective for Durban Children's Home. Further to this the study showed that interventions on a Microsystems level and mesosystems level were effective in meeting the needs of children who needed to grieve. Emanating from the findings, recommendations have revolved around enhancing the therapeutic component of the Bereavement Programme, ways of making the Programme more inclusive for sick children and increasing the support and training for staff implementing the Programme. Recommendations were also made in respect of funding, monitoring and evaluation and replication of the Bereavement Programme. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2009.

Thesis (D. Min.)--Catholic Theological Union at Chicago, 1994. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 160-170).

Thesis (D. Min.)--Trinity International University, 2003. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 109-113).