The purpose of the study is to fill the gap in the literature regarding sibling bereavement. This study explored how sibling bereavement from unnatural causes of death affects surviving siblings. Bereavement affects millions of Americans every year. Most grieve naturally, but some experience complicated grief or depression. Many studies address parental and spousal bereavement, but few focus on sibling bereavement. This study fills that gap in the literature so that mental health care professionals and the general public understand what bereaved siblings experience after the death of a sibling. The study was a phenomenological study using social constructivism as a theoretical lens to explore how sibling bereavement affects surviving siblings. Open-ended interviews were collected from 10 bereaved siblings. Those interviews were then transcribed and categorized using a 7 step process to review and organize all relevant statements. Results of this study shows that sibling bereavement can be a life changing event for surviving siblings affecting all aspects of life and leaving unanswered questions and feelings of guilt. Participants also state they felt overlooked after the death leading to delayed grief. Participants concluded that sibling grief is subjective, so any treatment plan should be catered to the individual based on their relationship to the deceased sibling and the role the sibling played. This study can bring about positive social change by helping mental health care workers understand sibling bereavement better so that they may help those suffering from complicated grief following the loss of a sibling.

This study deals with the pastoral counselling of elderly persons after the loss of a mature child by unnatural death. Such a traumatic event leaves a significant void in a person's life, who is already experiencing other losses, and is in the eve of their lives. With the death of a mature child, the natural order of life is turned around: the child who is supposed to live and financially and emotionally support the elderly, is no more, while they who's own passing away is imminent, are alive. Elderly parents in this position experience this situation as an existential conflict, because it is to them as if they are burying the future with their child. Because the death is one of a mature child, the elderly parent does not necessarily receive the appropriate recognition from society for the trauma they experience. To further complicate the issue is the fact that they are not usually the primary care receivers being guided along the path of mourning and acceptance - the focus, on the contrary, is usually upon the spouse and children of the deceased. In the section dealing with basis-theoretical research, it is evident that the exceptional empathy and sympathy of God for the parent who lost a child, is repeatedly stressed by Scripture. Because of Jesus Christ's victory on the cross and also His victory over death, there is the assurance of hope for eventual healing for the traumatized parent finding himself/herself in such a situation. From the section dealing with meta-theoretical research, it is evident that the death of a mature child is one of the most alarming and traumatic experiences any parent can go through. The process of mourning is however a natural reaction and differs from parent to parent, according to circumstances. Specific phases have been identified through which parents will go under these circumstances and it is therefore very important that both the pastoral counselor, as well as the parents, are aware of the pertinent aspects. In the section dealing with empirical research, use has been made of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In the quantitative section, the results obtained from questionnaires handed to a significant number of elderly parents who have lost mature children, were processed. Thereafter, in the qualitative section of the research, in depth interviews were conducted with two sets of parents from the original group. It became evident that this process of discussion had a significant healing and therapeutic effect on parents dealing with the loss of a mature child. In the section dealing with the practice theoretical research, a model has been formulated by which pastoral counsellors and ministers can generally assist elderly parents after the death of a mature child. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

This study deals with the pastoral counselling of elderly persons after the loss of a mature child by unnatural death. Such a traumatic event leaves a significant void in a person's life, who is already experiencing other losses, and is in the eve of their lives. With the death of a mature child, the natural order of life is turned around: the child who is supposed to live and financially and emotionally support the elderly, is no more, while they who's own passing away is imminent, are alive. Elderly parents in this position experience this situation as an existential conflict, because it is to them as if they are burying the future with their child. Because the death is one of a mature child, the elderly parent does not necessarily receive the appropriate recognition from society for the trauma they experience. To further complicate the issue is the fact that they are not usually the primary care receivers being guided along the path of mourning and acceptance - the focus, on the contrary, is usually upon the spouse and children of the deceased. In the section dealing with basis-theoretical research, it is evident that the exceptional empathy and sympathy of God for the parent who lost a child, is repeatedly stressed by Scripture. Because of Jesus Christ's victory on the cross and also His victory over death, there is the assurance of hope for eventual healing for the traumatized parent finding himself/herself in such a situation. From the section dealing with meta-theoretical research, it is evident that the death of a mature child is one of the most alarming and traumatic experiences any parent can go through. The process of mourning is however a natural reaction and differs from parent to parent, according to circumstances. Specific phases have been identified through which parents will go under these circumstances and it is therefore very important that both the pastoral counselor, as well as the parents, are aware of the pertinent aspects. In the section dealing with empirical research, use has been made of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. In the quantitative section, the results obtained from questionnaires handed to a significant number of elderly parents who have lost mature children, were processed. Thereafter, in the qualitative section of the research, in depth interviews were conducted with two sets of parents from the original group. It became evident that this process of discussion had a significant healing and therapeutic effect on parents dealing with the loss of a mature child. In the section dealing with the practice theoretical research, a model has been formulated by which pastoral counsellors and ministers can generally assist elderly parents after the death of a mature child. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

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Text in Afrikaans / In today's society our children are being incredibly exposed to trauma and death. Parents want to protect their children against hardship and loss and it is evident that todays society is characterized by social pathology. In view of the above the researcher studied literature extensively to investigate the affect of the phenomenon of death and trauma in the life of the young child. In order to establish the availability of therapy programs for the young child in childcare whose parents died in an unnatural way. It was evident that the present South African society is indeed characterized by conflict, homicide and violence. The death of a parent is a traumatic experience for the young child (aged two to seven years). VVhen death occurs suddenly it was found that the grief process is more complex. Through the process of literature study and empirical investigation it seems that many young children, who lost their parents through unnatural death, are placed in childcare institutions. In this study it was established that the fact that children were placed in childcare did not always imply that therapeutic intervention took place. Limited financial support and social services contributed to insufficient therapeutical intervention. Furthermore it was found that the investigated childcare institutions couldn't provide the researcher with therapeutic programmes. This study therefore indicates that there is a need for the development of therapeutic programmes for the young child in childcare. whose parents died in an unnatural way. / In die hedendaagse samelewing blyk dit dat kinders al hoe meer aan dood en trauma blootgestel word. Hoewel ouers graag hulle kinders wil beskerm teen hartseer en verlies, blyk dit dat vandag se samelewing gekenmerk word deur 'n vorm van sosiale patologie. In die lig van voorafgaande, het die navorser literatuurstudie onderneem om die teenwoordigheid en die fenomeen van dood en trauma in die lewe van die jong kind te ondersoek. 'n Verdere literatuurstudie is ook onderneem om die rou ervaring van die jong kind te ondersoek. Die navorser wou ook in hierdie studie vasstel of daar terapeutiese begeleiding aan die jong kind in kindersorg, wie se ouers op 'n onnatuurlike wyse gesterf het, beskikbaar is. Daar is in die studie gevind dat die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing inderdaad gekenmerk word deur konflik, moord en misdaad. Die afsterwe van 'n ouer is 'n traumatiese ondervinding vir die jong kind (twee tot sewe jaar). Wanneer die dood skielik en onverwags intree, is bevind dat die rouproses gekompliseerd is. Deur die proses van literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek blyk dit dat verskeie jong kinders wie se ouers op 'n onnatuurlike wyse gesterf het, in kindersorginstansies geplaas word. Daar is in hierdie studie bewys dat hoewel die kind in kindersorginstansies geplaas word, terapeutiese begeleiding nie altyd plaasvind nie. Hierdie gebrekkige terapeutiese begeleiding word toegeskryf aan die feit dat nie voldoende finansiele ondersteuning en maatskaplike dienste is nie. Daar is verder gevind dat kindersorginstansies, wat aan die studie deelgeneem het, nie oor traumaterapie programme vir terapeutiese begeleiding beskik nie. Hierdie studie toon dus dat daar 'n behoefte is vir die ontwikkeling van terapeutiese programme vir die jong kind in kindersorg wie se ouers op 'n onnatuurlike wyse gesterf het. / Educational studies / M. Ed. (Voorligting)

Text in Afrikaans / In today's society our children are being incredibly exposed to trauma and death. Parents want to protect their children against hardship and loss and it is evident that todays society is characterized by social pathology. In view of the above the researcher studied literature extensively to investigate the affect of the phenomenon of death and trauma in the life of the young child. In order to establish the availability of therapy programs for the young child in childcare whose parents died in an unnatural way. It was evident that the present South African society is indeed characterized by conflict, homicide and violence. The death of a parent is a traumatic experience for the young child (aged two to seven years). VVhen death occurs suddenly it was found that the grief process is more complex. Through the process of literature study and empirical investigation it seems that many young children, who lost their parents through unnatural death, are placed in childcare institutions. In this study it was established that the fact that children were placed in childcare did not always imply that therapeutic intervention took place. Limited financial support and social services contributed to insufficient therapeutical intervention. Furthermore it was found that the investigated childcare institutions couldn't provide the researcher with therapeutic programmes. This study therefore indicates that there is a need for the development of therapeutic programmes for the young child in childcare. whose parents died in an unnatural way. / In die hedendaagse samelewing blyk dit dat kinders al hoe meer aan dood en trauma blootgestel word. Hoewel ouers graag hulle kinders wil beskerm teen hartseer en verlies, blyk dit dat vandag se samelewing gekenmerk word deur 'n vorm van sosiale patologie. In die lig van voorafgaande, het die navorser literatuurstudie onderneem om die teenwoordigheid en die fenomeen van dood en trauma in die lewe van die jong kind te ondersoek. 'n Verdere literatuurstudie is ook onderneem om die rou ervaring van die jong kind te ondersoek. Die navorser wou ook in hierdie studie vasstel of daar terapeutiese begeleiding aan die jong kind in kindersorg, wie se ouers op 'n onnatuurlike wyse gesterf het, beskikbaar is. Daar is in die studie gevind dat die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing inderdaad gekenmerk word deur konflik, moord en misdaad. Die afsterwe van 'n ouer is 'n traumatiese ondervinding vir die jong kind (twee tot sewe jaar). Wanneer die dood skielik en onverwags intree, is bevind dat die rouproses gekompliseerd is. Deur die proses van literatuurstudie en empiriese ondersoek blyk dit dat verskeie jong kinders wie se ouers op 'n onnatuurlike wyse gesterf het, in kindersorginstansies geplaas word. Daar is in hierdie studie bewys dat hoewel die kind in kindersorginstansies geplaas word, terapeutiese begeleiding nie altyd plaasvind nie. Hierdie gebrekkige terapeutiese begeleiding word toegeskryf aan die feit dat nie voldoende finansiele ondersteuning en maatskaplike dienste is nie. Daar is verder gevind dat kindersorginstansies, wat aan die studie deelgeneem het, nie oor traumaterapie programme vir terapeutiese begeleiding beskik nie. Hierdie studie toon dus dat daar 'n behoefte is vir die ontwikkeling van terapeutiese programme vir die jong kind in kindersorg wie se ouers op 'n onnatuurlike wyse gesterf het. / Educational studies / M. Ed. (Voorligting)