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The Role of Social Networks in Helping Young Adults Cope with the Death of a Sibling

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The Role of Social Networks in Helping Young Adults Cope with the Death of a Sibling THE ROLE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS IN HELPING YOUNG ADULTS COPE WITH THE DEATH OF A SIBLING Matthew F. Benoit A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS December 2018 Committee: Catherine Stein, Advisor Abby Braden Dara Musher-Eizenman ii ABSTRACT Catherine H. Stein, Advisor Sibling relationships are characterized by a strong stability throughout adulthood, but the death of a sibling is often a “forgotten” topic in the bereavement literature. Previous research has primarily focused on ways that parents cope with the death of a child, with few studies describing the experiences of siblings who grieve the loss of a brother or sister. The present study used a personal network approach to examine the perceived social ties of young adults who have experienced the death of a sibling. A mixed-methods research design was used to understand the relationship between perceived structural, functional, and relational content network characteristics and self-reported adjustment (depression, complicated grief, posttraumatic growth, quality of life) among a sample of 19 young adults who had lost a sibling through death. Results indicated that neither the total network size nor the proportion of family in the young adults’ networks were associated with better adjustment to the loss. Siblings’ reports of higher quality of life were associated with their reports of higher proportions of network members who knew the deceased sibling. Results indicated that the proportion of the network that provided instructional support (advice and guidance) was associated with young adults’ reports of posttraumatic growth. Case study analysis revealed a potential relationship between smaller, closer, more emotionally supportive networks and fewer participant reports of depression. Qualitative findings highlighted the helpfulness of art and media in coping with the loss, and feelings of closer family relationships after the loss. Study results were interpreted largely in the context of the dual processing model of bereavement, with emphasis on how iii different types of social networks might impact the young adults’ balance between focusing on the loss and focusing on recovery. Implications of present findings for future research in the area were discussed. Keywords: bereavement, social support, death of a sibling, young adults, depression, network analysis iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my advisor, Catherine Stein, Ph.D., for all of her guidance and support throughout the process of this study. I would also like to thank my committee members, Abby Braden, Ph.D., Dara Musher-Eizenman, Ph.D., and Dryw Dworsky, Ph.D. for their recommendations to improve the study. Finally, I would like to thank my hard-working research assistants, Victoria Callahan, Allison Rodenbucher, and Katelyn Gregg, for the many hours they spent transcribing and entering data for this study. v TABLE OF CONTENTS Page INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................. 1 Adult Sibling Relationships ....................................................................................... 2 Sibling Bereavement .................................................................................................. 3 Young Adult Bereavement ........................................................................................ 4 Bereavement .............................................................................................................. 5 Social Support ............................................................................................................ 11 Summary .................................................................................................................... 16 Present Study ............................................................................................................. 18 METHODS ............................................................................................................................ 20 Sample........................................................................................................................ 20 Measures .................................................................................................................... 21 Social Network Interview Protocol ................................................................ 21 Mental health indices ..................................................................................... 22 Center for Epidemiologic Studies Scale for Depression- Revised (CESD-R) ........................................................................................... 22 Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) .............................................. 23 Personal growth and quality of life ................................................................ 23 Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) ........................................... 23 World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment- Abbreviated Version (WHOQOL-BREF) .............................................................. 24 General bereavement questions ..................................................................... 25 vi Procedure ................................................................................................................... 25 Analysis...................................................................................................................... 26 Quantitative analysis ...................................................................................... 26 Case analysis .................................................................................................. 27 Qualitative analysis ........................................................................................ 27 RESULTS .............................................................................................................................. 28 Perceived Network Characteristics ............................................................................ 28 Structural network variables .......................................................................... 28 Functional network variables ......................................................................... 29 Relationship content variables ....................................................................... 31 Adjustment variables ..................................................................................... 33 Case Examples ........................................................................................................... 34 High levels of depressed mood: Jamie and Laura ......................................... 34 Jamie .................................................................................................. 34 Family context and circumstances of sibling’s death………… 34 Network characteristics……………………………………..... 35 Self-reported adjustment………………….…………............. 35 Laura .................................................................................................. 36 Family context and circumstances of sibling’s death………… 36 Network characteristics……………………………………..... 36 Self-reported adjustment………………….…………............. 37 Comparison between participants with high levels of depressed mood 37 Low levels of depressed mood: Heather and Cecilia ..................................... 38 Heather ............................................................................................... 38 vii Family context and circumstances of sibling’s death………… 38 Network characteristics……………………………………..... 38 Self-reported adjustment………………….…………............. 39 Cecilia ................................................................................................ 39 Family context and circumstances of sibling’s death………… 39 Network characteristics……………………………………..... 39 Self-reported adjustment………………….…………............. 40 Comparison between participants with low levels of depressed mood 40 Contrast between high and low levels of depressed mood ............................ 40 Qualitative Findings ................................................................................................... 41 DISCUSSION ........................................................................................................................ 45 Network Structure ...................................................................................................... 46 Perceived Social Support ........................................................................................... 50 Understanding Psychological Adjustment ................................................................. 53 Study Limitations and Implications for Research and Practice ................................. 58 REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................... 61 APPENDIX A. TABLES ...................................................................................................... 69 APPENDIX B. FIGURES .................................................................................................... 78 APPENDIX C. PERSONAL NETWORK ANALYSIS PROTOCOL ................................ 82 APPENDIX D. CENTER FOR EPIDEMIOLOGIC STUDIES DEPRESSION SCALE- REVISED ............................................................................................................................... 87 APPENDIX E. INVENTORY OF
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