Experiences of bereavement in people with a learning disability
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development of a model to inform practice when working people with a learning disability who have experienced a bereavement: A Grounded Theory approach.
IRAS ID
274679
Contact name
SJ (Ash) Summers
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Teesside University
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 2 days
Research summary
Referrals to learning disability services often follow a bereavement, particularly in relation to behaviour that challenges (Dodd, Dowling, & Hollins, 2005; Emerson, 1977). There are a range of bereavement models that explain the process of grief from bereavement which have been developed for the general population to inform practice in mental health services (Stroebe, & Schut, 1999). Services are therefore required to adapt these models when working with a person with a learning disability. There are currently no models that have been developed directly from exploring the experiences of bereavement with people with a learning disability to inform care (Young, 2016).
Previous research also indicates that people who have not been involved in funeral rituals are more prone to complicated grief. Research has found that people with a learning disability are often excluded from funeral rituals (Forrester-Jones, 2013) for a variety of reasons which means that complicated grief is more likely to develop and cannot be processed or resolved as a result (Doka, 1989; Read, & Elliott, 2003).The proposed study aims to explore people who have a learning disability's experiences of bereavement Participants will be recruited from learning disability service from Tees, Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust. Participants will be interviewed using a semi-structured interview about their experiences of bereavement. The study will use grounded theory which is qualitative approach that aims to develop a model or theory which can help explain the process of bereavement a can be used to inform care when a person is referred to services following a bereavement. The study also aims to highlight people’s experiences of the process following a bereavement such as funeral rituals and whether they are excluded from these processes; it is hoped that the model will be helpful to inform care and evidence based practice.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
20/NE/0121
Date of REC Opinion
17 Jun 2020
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion