Loss and grief
Research describing separation, loss, grief and expectations of gratitude.
These entries are grouped by terms in their titles, summaries and topics. This is a route through the database, not a systematic review.
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Adverse health outcomes in women exposed in utero to diethylstilbestrol
2011 · United States
Researchers followed 4,653 women exposed to DES before birth and 1,927 unexposed women. Prenatal exposure was associated with increased risks across reproductive and other health outcomes, including infertility, pregnancy loss, ectopic pregnancy, premature delivery and early menopause.
Intensive psychoanalytic psychotherapy with looked after and adopted children: Exploring the experiences and perspectives of trainee Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists
2021 · United Kingdom (regional recruitment not established)
Five trainee child and adolescent psychotherapists were interviewed about intensive treatment of looked-after and adopted children in CAMHS. Reflexive thematic analysis described trauma and loss, ambivalence and violence in therapy, pressures on professional collaboration, and the role of supervision and developmental work.
Making sense of adoption: integration and differentiation from the perspective of adopted children in middle childhood
2012 · England
Forty-three English adoptees aged five to thirteen were interviewed about belonging and understanding adoption. Almost all described closeness to their adoptive families, while half expressed complicated feelings about birth family, including loss or rejection. Over half reported uncomfortable questions or teasing from peers.
Post adoption support needs and implications for future practice – a systematic review
2026 · International (UK-led review)
A systematic review examined 76 English-language primary studies published during 2002–2025 about adoptees’ and families’ post-adoption support needs. Recurring subjects included attachment, identity, neurodevelopment, mental health, trauma, education, loss and birth-family contact. The synthesis described barriers to obtaining support and understanding adoptees’ earlier adversity and neurodevelopmental needs.
The psychological implications of forced adoption: A scoping review
2025 · International (includes UK studies)
This scoping review mapped 27 publications on psychological experiences following forced adoption. Nine concerned adoptees and eighteen birth mothers. The adoptee-focused evidence described trauma and attachment difficulties, identity loss, limited belonging and isolation. Most included studies were qualitative and came from several countries, including UK research.
Whatever happened to baby Mei? A phenomenological study of adoption appraisal in midlife
2017 · United Kingdom
Face-to-face interviews with 68 Chinese women in their forties and fifties examined how they understood adoption in midlife. They had been adopted from Hong Kong orphanages into UK families in the 1960s. Phenomenological analysis described changing appraisals of adoption, losses and gains, individual meanings and communication about adoption within and beyond families.