A Review of the Literature on Three Types of Disenfranchised Grief ...

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among <strong>the</strong> emotions commonly experienced during bereavement. When individuals fail to recognize that <strong>the</strong>y have <strong>the</strong> right to grieve, as is <strong>of</strong>ten <strong>the</strong> case with disenfranchisement, <strong>the</strong>y are likely to avoid expressing <strong>the</strong>ir emotions. Consequently, when <strong>the</strong>se emotions are not confronted, processed, or expressed <strong>the</strong>y are likely to become intensified (Lenhardt, 1997). Second, disenfranchisement complicates <strong>the</strong> bereavement experience by diminishing social support available to <strong>the</strong> griever. These grievers are denied time <strong>of</strong>f from work, deprived <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> opportunity to openly discuss <strong>the</strong>ir feelings, and left out <strong>of</strong> expressions <strong>of</strong> sympathy and support (Doka, 2002). Because social support helps to facilitate coping and healing, its absence can serve to block <strong>the</strong> grieving process (Lenhardt, 1997). Self-disenfranchisement. KauffInan (2002) expanded on Doka's original conception <strong>of</strong> disenfranchised grief by suggesting that individuals can contribute to <strong>the</strong>ir own disenfranchisement. Self-disenfranchisement occurs when individuals refuse or are unable to acknowledge <strong>the</strong>ir own grief as being legitimate, due to real or imagined input from o<strong>the</strong>rs. When people fail to recognize <strong>the</strong> validity <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir own grief it can cause feelings <strong>of</strong> shame or guilt, and can deter <strong>the</strong>m from seeking out social support. Kauffman also suggested that disenfranchised grievers experience not only grief over <strong>the</strong> loss itself, but also grief over <strong>the</strong>ir own disenfranchisement. This compounded grief can <strong>the</strong>n cause psychological damage to <strong>the</strong> grIever. Empirical research. In Doka's second anthology, Thornton & Zanich (2002) reviewed a decade <strong>of</strong> empirical research on disenfranchised grief. Among <strong>the</strong> literature reviewed is a study assessing college students' evaluations <strong>of</strong> social support in disenfranchised grief situations (Thornton, Robertson, & Mlecko, 1991). When asked to make judgments about various scenarios that involved unrecognized losses or unsanctioned relationships, participants reported 10
that a grief reaction was less likely, expressions <strong>of</strong> sympathy toward <strong>the</strong> griever were less appropriate, and that <strong>the</strong>re would be less social support available to <strong>the</strong> griever. Ano<strong>the</strong>r study conducted by Cohen (1997) focused on college students' grief responses to various types <strong>of</strong> death and non-death losses. He found that participants were less likely to seek out help and social support when <strong>the</strong>y perceived a lack <strong>of</strong> recognition <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir grief by o<strong>the</strong>rs (i.e. disenfranchised losses). Based on <strong>the</strong> available literature, Thornton & Zanich (2002) concluded that people do in fact perceive losses differently depending on <strong>the</strong> type <strong>of</strong> loss, <strong>the</strong> type <strong>of</strong> relationship, and <strong>the</strong> type <strong>of</strong> griever. As Cohen's study (1997) suggests, <strong>the</strong>se "grieving rules" are so widely held that <strong>the</strong>y are even accepted by grievers <strong>the</strong>mselves. The rules not only deter caregivers from providing social support, but <strong>the</strong>y also discourage grievers from seeking out social support. When grievers lack support and validation, <strong>the</strong>ir grief is likely to become complicated. Purpose <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Study The purpose <strong>of</strong> this paper is to explore <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>of</strong> disenfranchised grief by reviewing available literature on three types: grandparent grief, grief <strong>of</strong> birthmo<strong>the</strong>rs following adoption, and <strong>the</strong> grief <strong>of</strong> ex -spouses. Grandparent grief. When a child dies, much <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> attention is focused on <strong>the</strong> immediate family while <strong>the</strong> grief <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> child's grandparents tends to be disenfranchised (Ponzerti & Johnson, 1991). Research indicates that grandparents typically do experience complex and intense grief reactions; <strong>the</strong>y not only grieve <strong>the</strong> loss <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir grandchild, but also grieve over <strong>the</strong> pain experienced by <strong>the</strong>ir bereaved adult child, <strong>the</strong> deceased child's parent (Fry, 1997; Nehari, Grebler, & Toren, 2007; Ponzerti, 1992; Ponzetti & Johnson, 1991). This 11
Page 2 and 3: Author: Davidson, Hannah M. The Gra
Page 4 and 5: The Graduate School University <str
Page 6 and 7: Chapter I: Introduction There are c
Page 8 and 9: 2. Loss not acknowledged: losses ar
Page 12 and 13: disenfranchised grief situation fal
Page 14 and 15: Introduction to Grandparent Grief C
Page 16 and 17: Another important
Page 18 and 19: socially defined roles, rituals, an
Page 20 and 21: coined, Gyulay seemed to have recog
Page 22 and 23: contribute to feelings of</
Page 24 and 25: of worse because y
Page 26 and 27: onding with their
Page 28 and 29: Introduction to Grief of</s
Page 30 and 31: Doka (1986) found that the<
Page 32 and 33: Many bereaved ex-spouses repOli fee
Page 34 and 35: participants had attended t
Page 36 and 37: McRoy, Grotevant, & Bryant, 1997).
Page 38 and 39: papers like Aloi's, as well as empi
Page 40 and 41: References Aloi, 1.A. (2009). Nursi
Page 42 and 43: Hyrkas, K., Kaunonen, M., & Paunone

A Review of the Literature on Three Types of Disenfranchised Grief ...

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