Parental Bereavement in Childhood and the Development of Adult Psychopathology: A Scoping Literature Review

Abstract

Traumatic experiences have significantly negative effects on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents. This thesis aims to explore the long-term impacts of childhood bereavement and parental death on mental health using a scoping review approach. The review discusses the lasting consequences of parental death, identifies important characteristics, reviews gaps in current research, and situates the findings within existing literature. The central research question guiding this review is: To what extent does the existing literature present a relation between childhood bereavement and certain adult mental disorders? What factors moderate this relationship? Twelve key articles were included to form the basis of this discussion. These articles investigate the lasting psychological consequences of childhood bereavement on adults and their correlation to specific adult mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, unipolar disorders. The results indicate several factors influencing psychiatric outcomes, including the cause of death, the age at bereavement, and the gender of the deceased parent and child. External causes of death, especially suicide, were strongly related to the highest psychiatric risks compared to natural causes. The developmental stage at bereavement was also a crucial moderating factor, with early childhood bereavement leading to increased vulnerability. Furthermore, the review emphasizes the importance of further research to explore age- and gender-specific risk patterns and effective strategies to reduce the long-term psychological effects of bereavement. These findings indicate the significant and persistent impact of childhood parental loss.