Disenfranchised grief occurs when a person experiences a loss but struggles to openly acknowledge, publicly mourn, or feel socially supported in the loss (Corr, 1998-99). This qualitative study interviewed forty-five people who lost a sibling with a disability. Six themes of disenfranchised grief were identified, and practice implications are discussed.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this session, attendees should be able to:
Participants will critically analyze the theory of disenfranchised grief and how it applies to siblings of people with disabilities.
Participants will identify types of disenfranchised grief and discuss the implications of disenfranchisement on the coping and social support of the bereaved person.
Participants will identify some key issues of end-of-life planning which are often overlooked when the terminally ill person has disabilities.
.jpg "Keena Firday-Gilbert, LMSW, MBA (she/her/hers) photo")