"Broken Together": Spirituality and Religion as Coping Strategies for Couples Dealing with the Death of a Child: A Literature Review with Clinical Implications

Contemporary Family Therapy

Volumn 32, Issue 3, 2010, Pages 302-319

  Ungureanu, Ileana ^a,b   Sandberg, Jonathan G ^c  

^a SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY   (United States)

^b Chicago Center for Family Health   (United States)

^c BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY   (United States)

Author keywords

Couples; Death of a child; Emotionally focused couple therapy; Spirituality religion

Indexed keywords

EID: 77955845393     PISSN: 08922764     EISSN: 15733335     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10591-010-9120-8     Document Type: Article

References (84)

1. Abbott, D., Berry, M., & Meredith, M. H. (1990). Religious beliefs and practices: A potential asset in helping families. Family Relations, 39, 443-448.
2. Anderson, D. A., & Worthen, D. (1997). Exploring a fourth dimension: Spirituality as a resource for the couple therapist. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 23, 3-12.
3. Anthony, M. J. (1993). The relationship between marital satisfaction and religious maturity. Religious Education, 88, 97-108.
4. Bailey, E. C. (2002). The effect of spiritual beliefs and practices on family functioning. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 13, 127-144.
5. Barrera, M., D'Agostino, N. M., Scheiderman, G., Tallet, S., Spencer, L., & Jovcevska, V. (2007). Patterns of parental bereavement following the death of a child and related factors. Omega, 55, 145-167.
6. Becvar, D. S. (1997). Soul healing: A spiritual orientation in counseling and therapy. New York, NY: Basic Books.
7. Belavich, T. G., & Pargament, K. I. (2002). The role of attachment in predicting spiritual coping with a loved one in surgery. Journal of Adult Development, 9, 13-29.
8. Bohannon, J. (1990-1991). Grief responses of spouses following the death of a child: A longitudinal study. Omega, 22, 109-121.
9. Bohannon, J. (1991). Religiosity related to grief levels of bereaved mothers and fathers. Omega, 23, 153-159.
10. Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss (Vol. III). New York: Basic Books, Inc.
11. Brotherson, S. E., & Soderquist, J. (2002). Coping with a child's death: Spiritual issues and therapeutic implications. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 13, 53-86.
12. Butler, M. H., & Harper, J. M. (1994). The divine triangle: Deity in the marital system of religious couples. Family Process, 33, 277-286.
13. Butler, M. H., Stout, J. A., & Gardner, B. C. (2002). Prayer as a conflict resolution ritual: Clinical implications of religious couples' report of relationship softening, healing perspective, and change responsibility. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 30, 19-37.
14. Coan, J. A., Schaefer, H. S., & Davidson, R. J. (2006). Lending a hand: Social regulation of the neural response to threat. Psychological Science, 17(12), 1032-1037.
15. Coffey, A. D. (2002). Spirituality: Lives and relationships in family therapy-Concepts and practices. Journal of Family Psychotherapy, 13, 29-52.
16. De Frain, J. (1991). Learning about grief from normal families: SIDS, stillbirth, and miscarriage. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 17, 215-223.
17. Dudley, M. G., & Kosinski, F. A., Jr. (1990). Religiosity and marital satisfaction: A research note. Review of Religion Research, 32, 78-86.
18. Dyregrov, A., & Dyregrov, K. (1999). Long-term impact of sudden infant death: A 12- to 15-year follow-up. Death studies, 23, 635-661.
19. Eliade, M. (1957). The sacred and the profane: The nature of religion. New York: Harvest Books.
20. Feeley, N., & Gottlieb, L. N. (1988-1989). Parents, coping and communication following their infant's death. Omega, 19, 51-67.
21. Freud, S. (1928/1961). The future of an illusion. New York: Norton.
22. Gallup Inc. (2009). Religion. Retrieved Nov 28, 2009 from www. gallup. com/poll/117409.
23. Gilbert, K. R. (1989). Interactive grief and coping in the marital dyad. Death Studies, 13, 625-646.
24. Gilbert, K. R. (1992). Religion as a resource for bereaved parents. Journal of Religion and Health, 31, 19-30.
25. Gilbert, K. R. (1997). Couple coping with the death of a child. In C. R. Figley (Ed.), Death and trauma: The traumatology of grieving (pp. 101-121). New York: Routledge.
26. Goldbeck, L. (2001). Parental coping with the diagnosis of childhood cancer: Gender effects, dissimilarity within couples and quality of life. Psycho-Oncology, 10, 325-335.
27. Grossman, P., Niemann, L., Schmidt, S., & Walach, H. (2004). Mindfulness-based stress reduction and health benefits: A meta-analysis. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 57, 35-43.
28. Hagemeister, A. K., & Rosenblat, P. C. (1997). Grief and the sexual relationship of couples who have experienced a child's death. Death Studies, 21, 231-252.
29. Heathon, T. B., & Pratt, E. L. (1990). The effects of religious homogamy on marital satisfaction and stability. Journal of Family Issues, 11, 191-207.
30. Helmeke, K. B., & Bischoff, G. H. (2007). Couple therapy and spirituality and religion: State of the art. Journal of Couple and Relationship Therapy, 6, 167-179.
31. Helmeke, K. B., & Sori, C. F. (2006). The therapist's notebook for integrating spirituality in counseling: Homework, handouts, and activities for use in psychotherapy. New York: Haworth Press.
32. Hertz, F. (1980). The impact of death and serious illness on the family life cycle. In E. Carter & M. McGoldrick (Eds.), The family life cycle (pp. 375-420). New York: Gardner.
33. Higgins, M. P. (2002). Parental bereavement and religious factors. Omega, 45, 187-207.
34. Hunler, O. S., & Gencoz, T. (2005). The effect of religiousness on marital satisfaction: Testing the mediator role of marital problem solving between religiousness and marital satisfaction relationship. Contemporary Family Therapy, 27, 123-136.
35. Jenkins, R. A., & Pargament, K. I. (1995). Religion and spirituality as resources for coping with cancer. Journal of Psychosocial Oncology, 13, 51-74.
36. Johnson, S. (1984). Sexual intimacy and replacement children after the death of a child. Omega, 15, 109-118.
37. Johnson, S. M. (2002). Emotionally focused couple therapy with trauma survivors: Strengthening attachment bonds. New York: The Guilford Press.
38. Johnson, S. M. (2004). The practice of emotionally focused couple therapy: Creating connection. New York: Routledge.
39. Johnson, S. M., Hunsley, J., Greenberg, L., & Schindler, D. (1999). Emotionally focused couples therapy: Status and challenges. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice, 6(1), 67-79.
40. Johnson, S. M., Makinen, J., & Milikin, J. (2001). Attachment injuries in couple relationships: A new perspective on impasses in couples therapy. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 27, 145-146.
41. Johnson, S. M., & Whiffen, V. E. (2003). Attachment processes in couple and family therapy. New York: The Guilford Press.
42. Kirkpatrick, L. A. (1992). An attachment-theory approach to the psychology of religion. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2, 3-28.
43. Kirkpatrick, L. A., & Shaver, P. (1992). An attachment-theoretical approach to romantic love and religious belief. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 18, 266-275.
44. Koening, H. G., McCullough, M. E., & Larson, D. W. (Eds.). (2001). Handbook of religion and health. New York: Oxford University Press.
45. Lambert, N. M., & Dollahite, D. C. (2006). How religiosity helps couples prevent, resolve, and overcome marital conflict. Family Relations, 55, 439-449.
46. Lang, A., & Gottlieb, L. (1991). Marital intimacy in bereaved and non-bereaved couples: A comparative study. In D. Papadatou & C. Papadatou (Eds.), Children and death (pp. 267-275). New York: Hemisphere.
47. Lang, A., & Gottlieb, L. (1993). Parental grief reactions and marital intimacy following infant death. Death Studies, 20, 33-57.
48. Lang, A., Gottlieb, L., & Amsel, R. (1996). Predictors of husbands' and wives' grief reactions: The role of marital intimacy. Death Studies, 20, 33-57.
49. Lohan, J. A., & Murphy, S. A. (2005-2006). Mental distress and family functioning among married parents bereaved by a child sudden death. Omega, 52, 295-305.
50. Mahoney, A., Pargament, K. I., Jewell, T., Swank, A. B., Scott, E., Emerin, E., et al. (1999). Marriage and the spiritual realm: The role of proximal and distal religious constructs in marital functioning. Journal of Family Psychology, 13(3), 321-338.
51. Matthews, L. T., & Marwit, S. J. (2006). Meaning reconstruction in the context of religious coping: Rebuilding the shattered assumptive world. Omega, 53, 87-104.
52. McIntosh, D. N., Cohen Silver, R., & Wortman, C. B. (1993). Religion's role in adjustment to a negative life event: Coping with the loss of a child. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 65, 812-821.
53. Meyerstein, I. (2006). Spiritual steps for couples recovering from fetal loss. In K. B. Helmeke & C. F. Sori (Eds.), The therapist's notebook for integrating spirituality in counseling II: Homework, handouts and activities for use in psychotherapy (pp. 223-229). New York: Haworth Press.
54. Mikulincer, M., & Florian, V. (1998). The relationship between attachment styles and emotional and cognitive reactions to stressful events. In J. A. Simpson & W. S. Rholes (Eds.), Attachment theory and close relationships (pp. 143-165). New York: Guilford Press.
55. Najman, J., Vance, J., Boyle, F., Embleton, G., Foster, B., & Thearle, J. (1993). The impact of a child death on marital adjustment. Social Science and Medicine, 37, 1005-1010.
56. Oliver, L. E. (1999). Effects of a child's death on marital relationship: A review. Omega, 39, 197-227.
57. Pargament, K. I. (1997). The psychology of religion and coping. New York: The Guilford Press.
58. Pargament, K. I. (1999). The psychology of religion and spirituality? Yes and no. International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 9, 3-16.
59. Pargament, K. I., Ano, G. G., & Wacholtz, A. B. (2005a). The religious dimension of coping: Advances in theory, research, and practice. In R. F. Paloutzian & C. L. Park (Eds.), Handbook of the psychology of religion and spirituality (pp. 479-495). The Guilford Press: New York.
60. Pargament, K. I., Cole, B., Vandecreek, L., Belavich, T., Brant, C., & Perez, L. (1999). The vigil: Religion and the search for control in the hospital waiting room. Journal of Health Psychology, 4, 327-341.
61. Pargament, K. I., Koenig, H. G., & Perez, L. (2000). The many methods of religious coping: Development and initial validation of RCOPE. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 56, 519-543.
62. Pargament, K. I., Magyar-Russell, G. H., & Murray-Swank, N. A. (2005b). The sacred and the search for significance: Religion as a unique process. Journal of Social Issues, 61, 665-687.
63. Pargament, K. I., Smith, B. W., Koenig, H. G., & Perez, L. (1998). Patterns of positive and negative religious coping with major life stressors. Journal of the Scientific Study of Religion, 37, 710-724.
64. Prest, L. A., & Keller, J. F. (1993). Spirituality and family therapy: Spiritual beliefs, myths, and metaphors. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 19, 137-148.
65. Rando, T. A. (1983). An investigation of grief and adaptation in parents whose children have died from cancer. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 8, 3-20.
66. Rando, T. (1986). Parental loss of a child. Champaign, IL: Research Press Company.
67. Reilly-Smoravsky, B., Armstrong, A. V., & Catlin, E. A. (2002). Bereavement support for couples following the death of a baby: Program development and 14-year exit analysis. Death Studies, 26, 21-37.
68. Rivett, M., & Street, E. (2001). Connections and themes of spirituality in family therapy. Family Process, 40, 459-467.
69. Robinson, L. C. (1994). Religion orientation in enduring marriage: An exploratory study. Review of Religious Research, 35, 207-218.
70. Roth, P. D. (1988). Spiritual well-being and marital adjustment. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 16, 153-158.
71. Sandberg, J. G., Miller, R. B., Harper, J. M., Davey, A., & Robila, M. (2009). The impact of marital conflict on health and health care utilization in older couples. Journal of Health Psychology, 14(1), 9-17.
72. Sanders, C. (1989). Grief: The mourning after. New York: John Wiley & Sons.
73. Schaefer, M. T., & Olson, D. H. (1981). Assessing intimacy: The PAIR inventory. Journal of Marital and Family Therapy, 7, 47-60.
74. Schwab, R. (1990). Paternal and maternal coping with death of a child. Death Studies, 14, 407-422.
75. Schwab, R. (1992). Effects of a child's death on the marital relationship: A preliminary study. Death Studies, 16, 141-157.
76. Sebold, A. (2002). The lovely bones. New York: Back Bay Books.
77. Simpson, M. (1979). The facts of death. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice Hall.
78. Stander, V., Piercy, F. P., Mackinnon, D., & Helmeke, K. (1994). Spirituality, religion, and family therapy: Competing or complementary worlds? American Journal of Family Therapy, 22, 27-41.
79. Tix, A. P., & Frazier, P. A. (1998). The use of religious coping during stressful life events: Main effects, moderation, and mediation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 411-422.
80. Walsh, F. (2006). Strengthening family resilience. New York: The Guilford Press.
81. Walsh, F. (2008). Spiritual resources in family therapy (Second edition ed.). New York: The Guilford Press.
82. Wilson, M. R., & Filsinger, E. E. (1986). Religiosity and marital adjustment: Multidimensional relationship. Journal of Marriage and the Family, 48, 147-151.
83. Wing, D. G., Burge-Calloway, K., Clance, P. R., & Armistead, L. (2001). Understanding gender differences in bereavement following the death of a child: Implications for treatment. Psychotherapy, 38, 60-72.
84. Wood, N. D., Crane, D. R., Schaalje, G. B., & Law, D. D. (2005). What works for whom: A meta-analytic review of marital and couples therapy in reference to marital distress. The American Journal of Family Therapy, 33, 273-287.