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

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<strong>of</strong> worse because you don't know what's happening with him everyday" (Henney et ai., 2007, p. 884). Ano<strong>the</strong>r long-term problem includes strong and persistent feelings <strong>of</strong> guilt over <strong>the</strong> decision to relinquish (Ashen & Bloom, 1999; De Simone, 1996; Henney et ai., 2007; Logan, 1996). Many birtluno<strong>the</strong>rs experience mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideations, and may also engage in self-destructive behavior such as promiscuity or drug abuse (De Simone, 1996; Logan, 1996). De Simone (1996) suggests that self-destructive behavior may stem from <strong>the</strong> birtluno<strong>the</strong>r's need to punish herself for relinquishing <strong>the</strong> child. The relinquishing birtluno<strong>the</strong>r experience is painfully summed up by a quote from a participant in Logan's 1996 study: It left me numb, it left me feeling I was no good, it left me feeling absolutely bereft something belonging to me that I hadn't got. It left me feeling like someone had died and I hadn't been allowed to go to <strong>the</strong> funeral-a part <strong>of</strong> me had died. I felt like I had a skeleton in my cupboard that no-one would let me bury. I couldn't talk about it-no-one allowed me to grieve. (p. 623). Evidence <strong>of</strong> Disenfranchisement. Many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>mes addressed above serve as evidence <strong>of</strong> birtluno<strong>the</strong>r disenfranchisement, although not specifically named that by several <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> scholars cited in this review. That <strong>the</strong> birtluno<strong>the</strong>r grief experience has been largely ignored by health care pr<strong>of</strong>essionals, scholars, and society in general illustrates that <strong>the</strong> relinquishing birtluno<strong>the</strong>r is disenfranchised. The lack <strong>of</strong> recognition, acknowledgment, and social support reported by birtluno<strong>the</strong>rs fits closely with <strong>the</strong> definition <strong>of</strong> disenfranchised grief. Being denied <strong>the</strong> opportunity to express emotions, being socially misunderstood, and being expected to forget and quickly move on are common experiences <strong>of</strong> all kinds <strong>of</strong> disenfranchised grievers (Doka, 24
2002). This disenfranchised grief situation fits most closely with Doka's second category-<strong>the</strong> loss is not acknowledged as being significant. One reason people fail to recognize relinquishment as a significant loss is because <strong>the</strong> decision to relinquish is voluntary (Logan, 1996). Ano<strong>the</strong>r reason relinquishment is not recognized as a loss is because <strong>the</strong> child in question does not die (Aloi, 2009). Because <strong>the</strong> loss is not acknowledged by society as being significant, birthmo<strong>the</strong>rs are denied <strong>the</strong> "right to grieve" (Doka, 2002). There is also a misconception that birthmo<strong>the</strong>rs are selfish or uncaring which can make people less sympa<strong>the</strong>tic to <strong>the</strong> birthmo<strong>the</strong>r experience and less likely to <strong>of</strong>fer recognition and support (Blanton & Deschner, 1990). <strong>Literature</strong> Addressing Birthmo<strong>the</strong>r Disenfranchisement. While many scholars have written about <strong>the</strong> grief <strong>of</strong> birthmo<strong>the</strong>rs, only two have acknowledged that this grief fits <strong>the</strong> definition <strong>of</strong> disenfranchised grief. Cooper (2002) wrote an article titled "Unrecognized losses in child adoption" that was published as a chapter in Doka's second anthology on disenfranchised grief. In this chapter Cooper discusses shame, self-blame, subjugation, and defilement as common to <strong>the</strong> relinquishing birthmo<strong>the</strong>r experience. In 2009, Aloi published an article titled "Nursing <strong>the</strong> disenfranchised: Women who have relinquished an infant for adoption". This is <strong>the</strong> first piece <strong>of</strong> scholarly work to review <strong>the</strong> existing literature on birthmo<strong>the</strong>r grief and apply <strong>the</strong> findings to <strong>the</strong> concept <strong>of</strong> disenfranchised grief. Aloi (2009) asserted that birthmo<strong>the</strong>rs experience "intense" and "overwhelming" grief that is unacknowledged by both <strong>the</strong> healthcare system and society in general. Birthmo<strong>the</strong>rs are denied emotional expression and experience intensified emotions and prolonged grief. Aloi applies all five <strong>of</strong> Doka's typologies <strong>of</strong> disenfranchised grief to <strong>the</strong> relinquishing birthmo<strong>the</strong>r experience. The first type occurs when <strong>the</strong> relationship is not recognized as being significant. This is applicable to birthmo<strong>the</strong>rs because <strong>the</strong>y are <strong>of</strong>ten discouraged from seeing, holding, and 2S
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Page 6 and 7: Chapter I: Introduction There are c
Page 8 and 9: 2. Loss not acknowledged: losses ar
Page 10 and 11: among the emotions
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
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Page 22 and 23: contribute to feelings of</
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Page 28 and 29: Introduction to Grief of</s
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Page 32 and 33: Many bereaved ex-spouses repOli fee
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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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