Bereaved parents' relationship following drug-related death loss: (What) can we learn from relationship research?

Abstract

Parents who have lost a child to drug-related death are at risk of poorer personal outcomes, such as decreased psychological and physical well-being. However, the loss of a child is rarely experienced alone. In most cases, parents are involved in the bereavement process together, which can affect relational outcomes and potentially impact their relationship quality, including satisfaction, trust, and closeness. In this chapter, we apply Vulnerability-Stress-Adaptation Model to shed light on bereaved parents’ relationship quality following the drug-related death of their child. Specifically, we discuss the potential roles of both partners’ enduring qualities (individual differences), stress (stressors faced by each partner), and (mal)adaptive processes (dyadic interactions between partners) in relationship quality and the possible mechanisms through which these predictors affect the bereaved parents’ relationship. We seek to provide input for intervention and prevention programs targeting the personal and relationship well-being of bereaved parents who face social stigma before and after their child’s drug-related death.