This study aimed to understand the grief process and life experiences of parents whose child died of childhood cancer and investigate their psychosocial difficulties and service needs. For the first year of the study, in-depth interviews were conducte ...
This study aimed to understand the grief process and life experiences of parents whose child died of childhood cancer and investigate their psychosocial difficulties and service needs. For the first year of the study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 mothers whose child died of childhood cancer. Thematic analysis yielded five themes (difficulties of bereaved mothers of a child who died of cancer, the grief process, coping with the child’s death, finding the meaning of children’s death, and the service needs of parents whose child died of cancer) and 14 related subthemes. In the second year, the study used a survey to investigate physical, psychological, and social difficulties; growth; and service needs of 58 parents whose child died of childhood cancer. First, the analysis showed that their physical, psychological, and social health levels significantly differed by gender, age, income, religion, whether they have remaining children, and years since the child’s death. Second, participants’ physical health and social support were significantly correlated with their psychological health. Third, the use of bereavement support services was low, except for religious ceremonies during and before the death and support groups. In addition, time alone with the deceased child and having a quiet room after the death were recognized as the most helpful services, and the willingness to use those services was high. Fourth, the preferred service topics that they want to discuss differed by age, highest education, income, religion, whether they have remaining children, type of diagnosis, and the age of the child at the time of death. This study improves our understanding of the life experiences of parents whose child died of childhood cancer and how to provide bereavement services that reflect their needs.