Browsing by Author "Ferrer, Lynne"

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    The experience of losing One's own father in the pre-school years : a phenomenological study
    (2002) Ferrer, Lynne; Edwards, S.D.
    Since 1996, hundreds of thousands of children under the age of 7 have experienced the death of a parent in South Africa. Whilst this loss is considered to pose a risk for future development, the existing studies lack clarity as to how this experience acts upon the adult throughout life. To this end, this inquiry attempts to capture an in-depth understanding of this experience and stimulate awareness regarding the needs of bereaved children. Through a phenomenological approach this investigation focuses specifically on the personal experience of several adults who have experienced the death of a father during their pre-school years. An aspect of the inquiry explores the perceived role the father would have played in the context of their ongoing lives. Eight core themes are derived which reflect the perceptions of this loss. The value of a phenomenological approach with relevance to the study of early bereavement is illumunitated. Some limitations of this study are recognized and suggestions for future research are proposed. Based on the insights gleaned through this study, implications are brought to the fore that pertain to the general experience of early parental bereavement.
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    Giving sorrow words: the experience of bereavement in the pre-school years: a phenomenological study
    (2005) Ferrer, Lynne; Edwards, S.D.
    Increasingly, hundreds of thousands of children under the age of seven are experiencing the death of their parents in South Africa. Scholarly debate pertaining to childhood bereavement has been and continues to be an arena lacking in clarity, particularly with respect to how this experience impacts upon the young child. To this end, this inquiry attempts to capture an in-depth understanding of this experience and stimulate awareness regarding the needs of bereaved children. Through a phenomenological approach this investigation focuses specifically on the personal experience of six children who experienced the death of a parent during their pre-school years, in the context of a group format. An aspect of the inquiry explores the debate around intervention and service provision for bereaved children. Six core themes are derived which reflect perceptions of this loss. The value of a phenomenological approach with relevance to the study of early bereavement is illuminated. Some limitations of this study are recognized and suggestions for future research are proposed. Based on the insights gleaned through this study, implications are brought to the fore that pertain to the general experience of parental bereavement and service delivery, with particular regard to the context of South Africa.