Construindo histórias e sentidos sobre uma perda familiar na vida adulta

Abstract

This article describes the meanings of family loss stories from the perspective of 12 bereaved people due to the death of their spouse, son, father, mother or brother. A qualitative interview was conducted with the application of thematic scripts and network mapping, and the organization, integration and analysis of the data took place following the coding procedures of the Empirically Grounded Theory. The results show the construction of stories and meanings around what was lost, what caused the loss of family members, and the type of suffering and legacies of grief. The meanings of parental loss stories reinforce the need to promote conversations and reinterpretations of this type of mourning in adult life in different relational contexts to support mourning.