| Popis: |
The following thesis examines how one can keep on living with the bereavement of having lost a child. Firstly, the most relevant research in the field of bereavement is presented in order to create an understanding of the context of the thesis.Methodologically, a philosophical hermeneutic approach is combined with qualitative semi structured interviews. This enables the researchers to undertake single person interviews with four parents who have all lost a child due to a sudden and unexpected death.In order to analyse the collected empirical material and enable an examination of the thesis’ statement two different theoretical approaches are applied: Irvin D. Yalom’s four existential conditions and Aaron Antonovsky’s Sense of coherence. Yalom’s theory is applied in order to analyse how each informant have been confronted with the four existential conditions Death, Freedom, Existential isolation and Meaninglessness as a result of the death of their children. Antonovsky's theory regarding sense of coherence is applied in order to analyse the informants’ abilities to comprehend, manage and find meaning in the death of their child and the ensuing bereavement. The thesis concludes that various aspects such as acknowledgement of death, meaninglessness and freedom as existential conditions as well as resources such as the individuals’ manageability, social support and rituals are important in relation to how one can keep on living with the bereavement of having lost a child.Lastly, the thesis brings awareness to the fact that many people in today's society are reluctant to deal with bereavement and death which makes it hard for a bereaved person to find a way of managing their bereavement in an appropriate way in their daily life. Therefore, the thesis aims to enlighten society about this issue in order to help people who are bereaved. |
