Grieving and loss in parents with a schizophrenic child

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare grief among parents who had an adult child with schizophrenia and parents who had "lost" an adult child through death or a head injury that resulted in an organic personality disorder. METHOD: Twenty-five parents from each group were studied. Self-report scales that assessed grief, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse were administered. RESULTS: There were significant differences with regard to grieving reactions and substance abuse. The parents with schizophrenic children had more ongoing grieving, and the parents of children with head injuries had more substance abuse. CONCLUSIONS: Parental loss of a child through schizophrenia leads to a pattern of chronic grief.