Abstract
Postmortem photography is a widespread practice in perinatal bereavement care, yet few studies have explored how it affects bereaved parents, or how it might be received by parents of older children. This study is an examination of the meaning, utility, and social context of postmortem photography in a sample of 181 bereaved parents. Data were subjected to both quantitative and qualitative analysis. Photographs were positively regarded by most parents after perinatal death and several parents of older children. Other parents rejected postmortem photography for aesthetic, personal, or cultural reasons. Brief recommendations are offered for healthcare providers.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 224-233 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Death Studies |
| Volume | 38 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Apr 2014 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)