Influence on the social behaviour after their child’s death

Abstract

The research article aimed to investigate and discuss the influence of sexual bereavement on parents’ social behaviour following their child’s death in the Didi Location of the Eastern Cape. This research article investigated 12 participants utilising a qualitative approach, a descriptive and explorative research design, and phenomenology cum case study as a specific research study. Kubler-Ross’s “Death and dying” provided the article with a theoretical framework. Findings emanated from the study established that in the efforts to drown the realities of losing a child, the bereaved parents withdrew from social activities after the loss, and couples or parents engaged in detrimental activities as a result of their child’s death. The article recommends and underscores that the Department of Health deploy, and station registered counsellors, social workers, and psychologists in the communities to advocate for and assist communities undergoing trauma and bereavement and ensure that these bereavement psychological services are within the reach of the communities. Furthermore the article recommends that in the process, the above professionals engaging with the communities, food parcels should be also the available. The article is important to widen the horizon of literature to future researchers in the domain of sexual bereavement as suffers a profound paucity of research.