Unveiling a fragile spirituality: Experiences of connectedness in pediatric palliative care

Jeannette Louise Falkenburg

Research output: PhD ThesisPhD-Thesis - Research and graduation internal

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Abstract

In pediatric palliative care parents are existentially affected in the end of life of their son or daughter. In their anguish and loneliness they have strong need for connectedness; first of all with their child but also with the health care professionals involved. Many parents connect not only physically to their child but also in expressions of a certain spirituality. This spirituality can be observed in special events that have meaning to parents; also in the mourning process. They speak of events that are considered as not coincidental; for example in experiences of the senses. A momentary experience of a meaningful event, connects them to their deceased child in a reality transcending way. This type of spirituality is fragile as it is not necessarily part of a meaning-system or worldview, nor is their a community to share these experiences. In vulnerable situations a transcending motion can be part of people's interpretive reality, indicating the presence of a fragile spirituality
Original languageEnglish
QualificationDr.
Awarding Institution
  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Supervisors/Advisors
  • Ganzevoort, Reinder Ruard, Supervisor
  • Tibboel, D., Supervisor, -
  • van Dijk, Monique, Co-supervisor, -
Award date18 Nov 2021
Place of PublicationRotterdam
Publisher
Print ISBNs9789463616034
Publication statusPublished - 18 Nov 2021

Keywords

  • transcendence, spirituality, continuous bonds, palliative care, pediatrics, meaning,

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