The Adjustment of Parentally Bereaved Children: I. Factors Associated with Short-Term Adjustment

Abstract

Forty parentally bereaved youngsters (age 6–16; 22 girls, 18 boys) and their surviving parent were interviewed and administered standardized measures (BSI, CBCL, CDI, RCMAS, WISC) to assess their emotional adjustment approximately 18 months after their parent's death. The sample was predominantly middle class Caucasian, with children relatively free of prior confounding non-bereavement related major stresses. There were marked discrepancies between parent CBCL reports of their children's adjustment and the children's self-report, while teacher reports (TRF) were somewhat more closely correlated with parent reports. On average, these bereaved children appeared to be faring well, though with heightened internalizing problems: adolescent boys seemed to be having the most difficulty. Full sample means concealed important differences revealed in gender and age group analyses. Strikingly, the full sample of children scored below national norms for non-bereaved children on depression and anxiety measures. Parent adjustment was the best predictor of child adjustment.