ADOLESCENT RESILIENCE FOLLOWING PARENTAL DEATH IN CHILDHOOD AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PARENTAL ATTACHMENT AND COPING.
Contributors: Case Western Reserve University.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 199
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Developmental.
Description: Adolescent resilience following loss has been linked with supportive social relationships and coping. Retrospective studies have found that parental death during childhood has been a risk factor for serious mental health problems in adolescence. However, health care professionals and researchers have also reported positive outcomes of increased competency, self-worth, and health in other adolescents. These adolescents have demonstrated resilience, the dynamic ability or strength that enables persons to adjust readily to loss and to mobilize resources.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among parental attachment to the surviving parent, adaptive coping, and resilience of adolescents following death of a parent in childhood. For this study, resilience was operationalized as social competence, global self-worth, and perceived health. The theoretical model was based upon attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969), protective mechanisms (Rutter, 1987), and loss and adaptation (Benoliel, 1985).

This cross-sectional correlational study examined the relationships among attachment to the surviving parent, adaptive coping, and resilience in 62 adolescents (13 through 21 years) who experienced parental death during childhood. Interviews with self-report instruments were done in the home or a chosen setting. The instruments were the Relationships Questionnaires (IPPA), the Coping Inventory, the Self-Perception Profile for Adolescents, the General Health Rating Index, and a demographic questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis and Pearson product moment correlations were used to test five hypotheses. Three hypotheses were partially supported in that adaptive coping was a significant predictor of social competence $(R\sp2 = .35),$ global self-worth $(R\sp2 = .30),$ and perceived health $(R\sp2 = .15).$ Gender pair $(R\sp2 = .07)$ was significant with perceived health. Correlations were significant for attachment and coping $(r = .29, p < .05),$ and attachment and perceived health $(r = .36, p < .01).$ Recommendations for further study that will add to the development of knowledge of parental attachment, adaptive coping, and resilience were indicated.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-01, Section: B, page: 0077.

Thesis (PH.D.)--CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY (HEALTH SCIENCES), 1993.

School code: 0499.