This is a longitudinal, prospective study of children who have lost a parent by death when they were between the ages of six and fourteen.
The aim of the study is to determine the developmental and mental health consequences of such a loss in a non-clinical population, and to identify what factors are associated with various outcomes. The bereaved cohort from 100 families will be followed for two years and compared with a matched group of non-bereaved children. Three assessments, interviewing children as well as their surviving parent, will be done at 3 months, 12 months, and 24 months following the death. Outcomes, using standardized instruments and structured interview will assess child behaviors, school performance, health status, peer relations, self-concept and mood, in addition to identifying behaviors specifically related to the loss. A screening instrument will be developed to identify the children with the poorest adaptation to the loss at 12 and 24 months, using data on both the child and the family gathered 3 months after the death. Such an instrument will make early identification and intervention possible for use in a preventive mental health program. An intervention strategy for use with at-risk children will be developed based on risk factors and deficits discovered in this study.
