On Their Children’s Behaviors.
By
Tameka L. Flynt
A paper presented in Partial Fulfillment
Of the Requirements of CST 5006 - Survey of Research Methodology
Capella University
May 2010
Address: P.O. Box 1987 Griffin, GA 30223
Phone: 678-588-9932
Email: Tameka_8402@yahoo.com
Instructor: Trent Nguyen
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to review literature related to the effects of parental death on children. Children who experience the death of a parent is considered an at risk population for psychological, behavioral, and social problems. There are many factors relating to the way children adjust to parental death. Some of these factors include the age of the child, the gender of the child, the circumstances surrounding the death (accidental, expected, or violent death), the adjustment of the surviving caregiver, etc. Children who experience the accidental or violent death of a parent are more at risk to develop psychological problems, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, than those children who experience the expected death of a parent.
Table of Contents Abstract 2 Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 The Statement of the Problem 5 Review of Literature 5 Qualitative Research 5 Quantitative Research 9 Conclusion 14 Annotated Bibliography 15
Introduction
Four percent of youth in the United States lose at least one parent by age fifteen (Samide & Stockton, 2002). The Death of a parent is a major and devastating event for a child. It can affect a child’s psychological and social development, which can lead to low academic performance and behavior problems. Everyday someone dies whether it’s from a sudden death such as a car accident, a natural disaster, and violence or an expected death such as long term illnesses. Many people that die have at least one child that live in the home under the age of eighteen. Understanding how the children are