Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: A child’s death represents a traumatic loss, which can be understood as a crisis impacting on the family as a functioning unit. The purpose of the current study was to investigate grief and resilience in families in which a child has died, while specifically focusing on the internal resistance resource of family hardiness. A cross-sectional research design was implemented concurrently with intensive interviews conducted according to the principles of grounded theory. In total, 35 bereaved parents from the Western Cape participated in the study as representatives of 23 families. The participants each completed three questionnaires, a biographical questionnaire, the Family Hardiness Index and the Family Attachment and Changeability Index 8. Pearson and Spearman correlational analyses indicated significant positive correlations between family hardiness scores (including scores on the subscales for commitment, challenge and control) and family adaptation (measured by use of the Family Attachment and Changeability Index 8). Significant associations were also found between certain biographical variables and family hardiness. Intensive interviews were, furthermore, conducted with participants representing 12 different families. The analysis of interviewtranscriptions resulted in the formulation of various thematic categories, such as grief-reactions, continuing bonds, external support, religion, as well as the core category of family hardiness. A grounded theory was thus developed concerning grief and resilience in families in which a child has died. The results of the study reveal the importance of qualitative methods to explore the unique experiences of bereaved parents and families with the purpose of constructing applied interventions on the family level. The family hardiness concept was also clarified and shown to be a possible resistance resource conducive to family adaptation following the loss of a child. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die dood van `n kind is `n traumatiese verlies, wat beskou kan word as `n krisis wat `n impak het op die gesin as `n funksionerende eenheid. Die doelwit van die huidige studie was om verdriet en veerkragtigheid in gesinne waarin `n kind oorlede is, te ondersoek, met `n spesifieke fokus op die interne weerstandsbron van gesinsgehardheid. `n Dwars-snit opname navorsingsontwerp is gebruik in oorleg met intensiewe onderhoude, wat volgens die beginsels van gegronde teorie gevoer is. In totaal is 35 ouers, woonagtig in die Wes-Kaap, betrek by die studie, wat opgetree het as verteenwoordigers van 23 gesinne. Die deelnemers het elk drie vraelyste voltooi, naamlik `n biografiese vraelys, die Gesinsgehardheid Indeks en die Gesinsgehegtheid en Veranderlikheid Indeks 8. Pearson en Spearman korrelasie-berekeninge het aangedui dat gesinsgehardheid-tellings (asook die tellings op die subskale vir toewyding, uitdaging en beheer) beduidend positief korreleer met gesinsaanpassing (gemeet met die Gesinsgehegtheid en Veranderlikheid Indeks 8). Beduidende verhoudings is ook gevind tussen sekere biografiese veranderlikes en gesinsgehardheid. Verder is intensiewe onderhoude gevoer met die verteenwoordigers van 12 gesinne. Die ontleding van onderhoud-transkripsies het gelei tot die formulering van verskeie tematiese kategorieë, naamlik verdriet-reaksies, die voortdurende verbintenis, eksterne ondersteuning en godsdiens, asook die kern-kategorie van gesinsgehardheid. `n Gegronde teorie is sodoende ontwikkel, wat betrekking het op verdriet en veerkragtigheid in gesinne waarin `n kind oorlede is. Die resultate van die studie wys op die belang van kwalitatiewe metodes om die uniekheid van bedroefde ouers en gesinne se ervarings te verken met die doel om gepaste intervensies op gesinsvlak te ontwikkel. Die konsep van gesinsgehardheid is ook verhelder en aangedui as `n moontlike weerstandsbron, wat bevorderlik is vir gesinne se aanpassing ná die verlies van `n kind.