The impact of practical support on parental bereavement: Reflections from a study involving parents bereaved through military death

Citation

Rolls L & Harper M (2016) The impact of practical support on parental bereavement: Reflections from a study involving parents bereaved through military death. Death Studies, 40 (2), pp. 88-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2015.1068247

Abstract
This article, drawing on data from a wider study, describes the impact that U.K. bereaved military parents ascribe to the practical support (help with home and garden maintenance) that they received following the death of their son. The type of practical support offered to parents has had a wide-ranging and significant impact on them. In addition to helping them find meaning and maintain continuing bonds, this form of support contributed to their capacity to engage in restoration-focused coping. As a symbolic resource, this type of practical support may be a significant moderator of distress in the psychosocial transition of bereavement.

Journal
Death Studies: Volume 40, Issue 2