Experience of sudden death in the family: Initial grief reactions

• Main Authors: Balatbat, Cerissa Angela A., Castillo, Lira Mary Ann C., De Guzman, Andrea Maxima A.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 1999
• Subjects: Sudden death; Excited delirium syndrome; Psychology
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/10645
• Institution: De La Salle University

This is a descriptive study of the initial grief reactions of bereaved family members who have experienced sudden death in the family. Initial grief reactions refer to initial feelings, initial thoughts and initial actions. In-depth interview was utilized to obtain the needed data. A self-constructed interview guide was used in the interview proper. There were nine (9) respondents who were included in this study, composed of 1 mother, 3 sons, 2 daughters, 1 brother and 2 spouses. The causes of the death were murder, accident, suicide, heart attack and stroke. The results presented the profile of the participants and the emerging themes from their initial grief reactions categorized under initial feelings, initial thoughts and initial actions. Similarities and differences among the respondents were analyzed. From the responses given, emerging themes were determined. The results of the study showed that shock and disbelief, regret, and a sense of sadness and longing were the initial feelings of the bereaved family members. Their initial thoughts were of a meaning-making process such as believing in the inevitable nature of death, attribution of the death to God and they believed that the deceased member of their family has gone to a state or life beyond death. Findings have also shown that the initial actions that were most common to bereaved family members were those of crying, performing rituals, and diffusion of grief among family members. This study focused on the initial feelings, initial thoughts and initial actions of bereaved family members who have experienced sudden death since these reactions affect a person's grieving process due to such a loss. Through this study it was found out that due to sudden death, the bereaved undergo the same initial grief reactions except for rare cases wherein there is reluctance to grieve which is accounted for by several factors such as a poor status of relationship of the bereaved with the deceased and feelings of dislike toward the deceased before the death.