Toward the Development of a Theory of Bereavement Guilt: Sources of Guilt in Bereaved Parents

Abstract

Guilt has been reported as a common manifestation of grief, yet bereavement guilt is poorly understood and has not been adequately incorporated into bereavement theory. As a first step in the development of a theory of bereavement guilt, this article presents a conceptual model of sources of guilt in bereaved parents. This model identifies five sources of guilt: Cultural Role Guilt, Death Causation Guilt, Moral Guilt, Survivor Guilt, and Recovery Guilt. A pilot study of twenty-eight bereaved parents was conducted to assess the adequacy of this model. Findings provide partial support for the model and suggest an additional category, Grief Guilt. The most common types of guilt were Death Causation Guilt and Cultural Role Guilt. Rationalizing and sharing were the two most common guilt ameliorating strategies used. Suggestions for continued theory development are presented.