African American Adults' Perceptions of the Effects of Parental Loss During Adolescence

The purpose of this study was to examine twenty African American adults' perceptions of the effects of parental loss during their adolescence, examine their grief reactions at the time, and identify how they were assisted through the grieving process. The study results indicated that males experienced significantly more delinquent behavior than females following the loss of the parent. Respondents who had grief reactions for more than a year experienced multiple problem and behavioral reactions. The study found that most participants did not receive professional help but relied on informal help for their grief. Implications of the results are discussed.