The Harvard Child Bereavement Study

The Harvard Child Bereavement Study provided critical insights into the impact of the death of a parent on children and their families. Seventy families, including 125 parentally bereaved children and their living parent, participated in the study. Of the 125 bereaved children, 70 were randomly selected to be compared to a matched control group of children. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in the homes of the participants four months after the parent/spouse died, one year after the death, and two years after the death. Three standardized measures were administered to the children, and five standardized measures were administered to the adults. Multiple findings about how bereavement changes over time for bereaved children and families were revealed; including, the impact of parental adjustment on children's well-being, the various ways children chose to remain connected to their parent who died, the healthiness of remembering the person who has died, and the value of including children in decision-making about memorialization and funerals. (1996).