Parent-child dyadic coping in widowed families : the dual process and dual impact

Abstract

In a widowed family, the surviving parent and children face the loss together. However, most previous research in bereavement has focused on individual experiences. Although the family perspective has been introduced into the field, neither theories nor empirical research has explored mutual interaction. Dyadic coping, reflecting the family perspective and has proven an influential factor in couples facing life adversities, has also not been explored in the context of bereavement-specific stressors and the parent-child relationship. This research is the first exploration of parent-child dyadic coping in widowed families in the bereavement context and had four objectives: (1) forming a comprehensive conceptualization of parent-child dyadic coping; (2) developing measurements for parent-child dyadic coping; (3) investigating the influence of parent-child dyadic coping on bereavement outcomes and their mechanisms; (4) examining the factors affecting dyadic coping in widowed families. The research adopted mixed methods applying an exploratory sequential design. In Study 1, qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 parents and children from widowed families in mainland China (11 surviving children and nine widowed parents). Constructivist grounded theory was used to guide the analysis. The main themes identified were dyadic coping-related cognitions, loss-oriented dyadic coping, restoration-oriented dyadic coping, and contextual factors. Three foci (thou, we, and I) were identified for both loss-oriented and restoration-oriented dyadic coping. A conceptualization model of dyadic coping within widowed families was formulated. Study 2 developed three questionnaires to measure different components of bereavement dyadic coping: an 18-item Dyadic Coping-Related Cognition Questionnaire (DCCQ), a 25-item Dyadic Coping Behavior Questionnaire (DCBQ), and a four-item Dyadic Coping Interaction Questionnaire (DCIQ). Data were collected from 241 widowed parents and surviving children from mainland China. Factor analysis revealed four factors for DCBQ, direct loss-oriented DCB, indirect loss-oriented DCB, restoration-oriented DCB, and collaborative DCB, and a five-factor model for DCCQ, we-loss cognitions, we-life cognitions, positive cognitions about sharing grief, awareness about practical concerns, and negative cognitions about sharing grief. The questionnaires revealed satisfactory internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent, predictive, and divergent validity. Study 3 used the newly-developed questionnaires with the same sample as in Study 2 to explore the influence of parent-child dyadic coping on bereavement outcomes, specifically parent-child relationship, maladaptive grief, depression, anxiety, and bereavement guilt. Dual impact, both positive and negative influences, on bereavement outcomes was identified. The nature of impact varied by the level of outcome (dyadic or individual), the orientation of coping (restoration or loss), and the provider of coping (self or the other party in the dyad). Paths of dyadic coping behavior mediating the relationship between cognitions and outcomes were identified. Factors influencing dyadic coping, such as level of knowledge about the parent-child relationship, were identified. This research is the first to explore dyadic coping within a bereavement-specific context. A clear and comprehensive conceptualization of parent-child dyadic coping in widowed families was developed, measurements of bereavement dyadic coping were developed, and the dual impact of bereavement dyadic coping was revealed. This research advances knowledge of bereavement coping from a family perspective, acknowledges the bilateral interaction in parent-child relationships and identifies the implications for providing bereavement support for widowed families.