Keywords

adolescents, child grief recovery, drawing intervention, global health, India, Kenya, missions, orphaned and vulnerable children, pediatric nursing, South Africa, storytelling intervention, traumatic childhood events

 

Authors

  1. Braband, Barbara J.
  2. Faris, Tamara
  3. Wilson-Anderson, Kaye

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Children who are orphaned and vulnerable due to poverty, war, or disease (HIV/AIDS) may experience childhood traumatic grief. A qualitative phenomenological approach was implemented to explore and compare the lived experiences of orphaned children, adolescents, and caregivers who had used the Memory Book intervention at six children's homes in India, Kenya, and South Africa. Study findings revealed similar themes between the countries, with primary themes of identity and relationships, and secondary themes of coping, hope, and emotion. Findings suggest the value of Memory Book resources to encourage the preservation of a child's story and grief recovery that can be used for any child facing recovery from difficult life events.