ABSTRACT
The focus of our chapter is adolescent bereavement over sibling death in the 12-17-year-old age range. We begin with the back story central to appreciating adolescent responses to sibling death.
Adolescence extends over several years, beginning with the onset of puberty and lasting into the mid-20s. A developmental systems framework identifies three phases to adolescent development: early adolescence (10-14), middle adolescence (15-17), and later adolescence (18-23) (Balk, 1995; Blos, 1979; Fleming & Adolph, 1986). This framework focuses on core issues, conflicts, and tasks during the three phases as central to the individual’s resolution of the major challenge of the adolescent years, namely, to form a stable identity marked by personal autonomy, interpersonal fidelity, and career direction (Erikson, 1968; Hogan, 2014; Josselson, 1987). We look more closely at the core issues, conflicts, and tasks a bit later in this chapter. We also emphasize the salience of social media in the lives of adolescents.
