When Is Therapy Necessary for a Grieving Child?
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This column was authored by the executive director of the Meadows Institute’s Trauma and Grief Center, Julie Kaplow, PhD and published in was published in Psychology Today on July 12, 2024.
Bereavement is the most common adverse life event experienced by youth in the United States. In fact, according to a 2020 article published in the American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 6.6% of U.S. children (4.5 million) will experience the death of a parent before age 18. The COVID-19 pandemic has further elevated rates of childhood bereavement, particularly among Black and Latino youth. Given the prevalence of childhood bereavement, mental health professionals are now frequently faced with questions from concerned parents and caregivers about whether or not their child is “grieving in a healthy way” or, alternatively, may require therapy.
Grief is a deeply personal experience, and there is no “right or wrong” way to navigate it. Every child grieves in their own way, and their reactions can be impacted by a host of factors such as individual coping strategies, circumstances of the death, and familial support. A recent review highlights the important ways in which parents and caregivers can heavily influence how children grieve. When support is lacking, children are more at risk for developing psychological and behavioral health problems such as depression, anxiety, substance use, or academic problems.