Study of Twins, Loss and Grievance
Study of Twins, Loss and Grievance
Topic: Does a surviving twin feel bereavement differently than a sibling does in the death of a family member?
Articles under examination: Once There Were Two study of surviving twins in various stages of grief, and Bereavement in Children a study a different grieving levels of children.
The first article that was examined was Once There Were Two, by D.S. Barron. Twins are forever bounds together even in death are the consensus of this study. D.S. Barron interviewed the Lone Twin Network, a British group, whose twin siblings have died. The interviewed were conducted to gain better understanding of the nature of a twin’s bond, or why its end should resemble exile. The first study and its findings of surviving twins in various stages of grief were also included in the article that was examined. Surveys and extensive interviews were given to over 300 surviving twins in various stages of grief. The subject’s ages ranged from 18 to 92. The age of the surviving twins ranged from time of birth, childhood, or adulthood. The theory was twins developed the implications of being a twin, realizing the identity of being a twin, and the consequences of their loss had serious effects on them, as they grew older. In all the lengthy interviews Woodward conducted all who sought counseling for their bereavement, failed to find explanations or relief for their grief. Theorizing that twins feel profound dislocation, due to the depth one twin feels for another. This bond originates during pregnancy, before birth. Twins felt their loss strongly. The feelings of isolation grow worse as the twin grows older. The lone twin, even after years of their twin sibling’s death, feel a profound deprivation that no one or anything could assuage. Many twins describe a constant and intense loneliness.
Knowing a bond stronger than any type I have felt before, and to lose that bond, would be very hard to deal with.
The second article is an article deals with bereavement in children. The article discussed different types of bereavement in children, how the child felt when the grandparent, parent and sibling died. The article was based by interviews and surveys to the parents of the children included in the survey. The article suggests that children feel bereavement to different family...