ABSTRACT
The death of a parent for a child or adolescent is a defining moment that can create ripples that ebb and flow throughout their life. Within Western countries, it is estimated that approximately 4% of children and adolescents will experience the death of a parent by age 18. In the United States, 1.5 million children are living in single-parent families as a result of the death of a parent. Parents may provide safety and comfort within which children develop and receive emotional and psychological intimacy. Children's ability to adapt and cope is influenced by their own efforts as well as their dependence on the surviving parent's ability to be available and present. Other factors that affect the child's grief process include the way in which the child is informed of the death, participation in the funeral or rituals, and the type of support available to the child.
