Observations on Loss and Family Development

This article examines the role of death and loss in family developmental processes. Aspects of family development are described, followed by an exploration of the impact of loss on family functioning and development. We present a typology of initial family response styles to the death of a member as well as some immediate and longer-term patterns of adaptation after a loss. The article concludes with a case example and a discussion of multigenerational sequelae of unresolved bereavement in family systems.