Life After Losing an Adult Child to a Drug Overdose: A Kawa Perspective.

Background: Limited research is available to occupational therapy practitioners focusing on parents' abilities to cope with the loss of an adult child to a drug overdose. We examined the unique experiences of grieving parents from a Kawa model perspective to identify potential implications for occup...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Publicado en:Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT) Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 1 - 17
Autores principales: Weis, Aaron, Kugel, Julie D., Javaherian-Dysinger, Heather, De Brun, Jessica Nicole
Formato: research tables/charts Journal Article
Publicado: Open Journal of Occupational Therapy Summer2019
Acceso en línea:Ver este registro en EBSCOhost
Descripción
Sumario:Background: Limited research is available to occupational therapy practitioners focusing on parents' abilities to cope with the loss of an adult child to a drug overdose. We examined the unique experiences of grieving parents from a Kawa model perspective to identify potential implications for occupational therapy. Methods:We used a qualitative approach in which 11 participants completed Kawa drawings and participated in semistructured interviews. Results: Following a Kawa model analysis themes emerged: volatile nature of flow, support from inner circle and connection with outer circle, lonely islands, personal attributes of positivity and economics, and enhancing my river's flow. Conclusion: The loss of an adult child to a drug overdose presents health care professionals with a unique set of grieving circumstances, including changes in life roles and abilities to participate in occupations, which can be challenging to address. As a result, this study suggests the Kawa model is an effective assessment tool that should be considered for use when working with those grieving the loss of a child to a drug overdose.