Effects of a child's death on the marital relationship: A preliminary study

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a child's death on the parents' marital relationship. The participants were 20 couples who lost children in a variety of ways. The data collected through interviews were analyzed to determine common experiences among parents. Five themes were identified and discussed. They were fathers' concern and frustration about their wives' grief wives' anger over husbands' not sharing their grief, temporary halt in communication, loss of sexual intimacy, and general irritability between spouses. Implications for mental health professionals are discussed.