The Impact of a Child’s Death on Parents: A Myth (Not Yet) Disproved?

Claims about the devastating effect of child loss on parents have frequently been made on the basis of subjective or clinical evaluation and without reference to general levels of symptoms or distress — even in the scientific literature. We therefore examine whether, and in which specific areas, empirical evidence confirms that bereaved parents are in worse psychological, physical, and psychosocial shape than nonbereaved counterparts. It cannot be said that there is a sound body of evidence on these dimensions. Although there are indications that bereaved parents may suffer negative health and marital consequences, conclusions must remain tentative until more methodologically-sound evidence is available. Most complex is the impact on marital closeness, some authors attesting to greater perceived closeness, while others report the opposite. It is concluded (a) that these opposite effects can co-occur for different relationship dimensions within couples, and (b) that effects may be masked since some couples are drawn together, while others are driven apart by their loss. Research should explore these so-called enhancement-aggravation and polarisation effects.