title: Mental health of adolescents before and after the death of a parent or sibling.
abstract: The death of a parent or sibling (family bereavement) is associated with mental health problems in approximately, 25 % of the affected children. However, it is still unknown whether mental health problems of family-bereaved adolescents are predicted by pre-existing mental health problems, pre-loss family functioning, or multiple bereavements. In this study, a prospective longitudinal assessment of change in mental health following bereavement was done in a large representative sample from the 'Tracking Adolescents Individual Lives Survey' (TRAILS). This is a four-wave prospective cohort study of Dutch adolescents (n = 2230) of whom 131 (5.9 %) had experienced family bereavement at the last wave (T4). Family-bereaved adolescents reported more internalizing problems, within 2 years after family bereavement, compared to the non-bereaved peers, while taking into account the level of internalizing problems before the bereavement. A clinically relevant finding was that 22 % new cases were found in family-bereaved, in comparison to 5.5 % new cases in non-bereaved. Low SES predicted more internalizing problems in family-bereaved but not in non-bereaved adolescents. Family functioning, reported by the adolescent, did not predict mental health problems within 2 years. Multiple family bereavements predicted fewer externalizing problems. In conclusion, internalizing problems increase in adolescents after family bereavement in comparison to non-bereaved and these can be predicted by pre-loss factors. Awareness among professionals regarding the risks for aggravation of mental health problems after family loss is needed.
authors: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Y.Stikkelbroek@uu.nl.
authors: Yvonne
authors: Y
authors: Stikkelbroek
authors: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Denise H M
authors: DH
authors: Bodden
authors: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Ellen
authors: E
authors: Reitz
authors: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Wilma A M
authors: WA
authors: Vollebergh
authors: Child and Adolescent Studies, Utrecht University, PO Box 80.140, 3508 TC, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors: Anneloes L
authors: AL
authors: van Baar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D008603:Mental Health / Q000639:trends*; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D035781:Siblings / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Longitudinal; Mental disorders; Parental bereavement; Prospective study; Sibling bereavement