Death of a Parent (eBook)

When a parent dies, most adults are seized by an unexpected crisis that can trigger a profound transformation of their beliefs, behavior, goals, and sense of self. Whether - and how - this loss is resolved can affect adults for the rest of their lives. Unlike other books on this topic, Death of a Parent relies on national data as well as in-depth interviews to explore the social and psychological risk factors that make some people more vulnerable than others to depression, alcoholism, a weakened immune system, and other forms of personal crisis following this important loss. Dr Umberson also looks at protective factors that help some individuals experience better mental health following the death than they did when the parent was alive. With the help of this book, readers will come to view the loss of a parent in a new way: as a turning point in adult development.

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When a parent dies, most adults are seized by an unexpected crisis that can trigger a profound transformation. Using in-depth interviews and national surveys, Dr Umberson explains why the death of a parent has strong effects on adults and looks at protective factors that help some individuals experience better mental health following the death than they did when the parent was alive. This is the first book to rely on sound scientific method to document the significant adverse effects of parental death for adults in a national population. Exploring the social and psychological risk factors that make some people more vulnerable than others, readers will come to view the loss of a parent in a new way: as a turning point in adult development.