Sibling Relationships After the Death of a Parent During Childhood: “Everyone Carries Their Own Grief”

After the death of a parent, children have to adjust to changes in family roles and dynamics as a result of the loss, including the sibling relationship. The current qualitative study explored, using joint interviews with sibling pairs, how adult siblings experienced the death of their parent during childhood and their sibling relationship over time. Thirteen adult siblings from six families reflected upon their loss experiences and how these affected their sibling relationship. Most sibling pairs described a distance directly after parental death, and an alternating pattern of distance and closeness during adulthood. Sibling relationships were affected by the coping styles of the remaining parent and siblings, difficulties with sharing grief, and shifts in the roles of individual siblings. These findings may help improve support for remaining parents in their effort to help their children in the process of coping with their grief and adapting to the changed family situation.