The National Archive of Grief Support Studies
The National Archive of Grief Support Studies(NAGSS) database provides bibliographical information and summaries of recent articles selected for their relevance to grief and bereavement service providers. The articles that are summarized are selected from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and are intended to highlight key concepts as well as provide a brief statement of implications for service providers. Bibliographical information may be used to obtain the original article.
Exploring Sibling Bereavement
Authors:
Balk, David E.
Source:
Death Studies: 2000. Volume 24, Number 7, pp. 661-667.
Summary
This article is a book review of Betty Davies’s Shadows of the Sun: The Experiences of Sibling Bereavement in Childhood (1999). Shadows of the Sun frames sibling bereavement in terms of the social relationship between siblings instead of solely focusing on the individual experiences of the child. The reviewer asserts that a strength of the book is the author’s ability to synthesize years of qualitative research in the field of sibling bereavement with extensive professional experience in working as a nurse with bereaved siblings. The book also provides guidelines for caregivers, such as developing an understanding of the sibling relationship, developing awareness of levels of social support, and understanding family characteristics that may impact the grieving process. The book also notes that more research is needed, particularly in the areas of coping and adaptation.
Key words: sibling, adapt, family, support
Service Provider Implications
This book review provides information that may assist practitioners in deciding whether or not to purchase Shadows of the Sun: The Experiences of Sibling Bereavement in Childhood (1999).
