1. Bereavement photography, volunteering, and posttraumatic growth: A mixed-methods investigation.
- Author
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Vivekananda, Kitty, Ong, Uyen, Wurf, Gerald, D'Souza, Levita, Giosserano, Rosanna, and Licqurish, Sharon
- Subjects
PHOTOGRAPHY & psychology ,SOCIAL support ,EMPATHY ,RESEARCH methodology ,PERINATAL death ,PSYCHOLOGICAL adaptation ,BEREAVEMENT ,VOLUNTEER service ,POSTTRAUMATIC growth ,PARENTS - Abstract
Bereavement photography has been recognized as an important tool to create memories and as a support service for parents experiencing perinatal loss. This paper explores the impact of volunteering on posttraumatic growth among photographers working with parents impacted by stillbirth. Using a mixed-methods design, 141 Australian and New Zealand volunteer bereavement photographers were recruited. Higher number of losses experienced by photographers were correlated with a higher level of posttraumatic growth. Volunteering was associated with an enhanced understanding of loss, increased empathy for bereaved parents, developing effective coping skills and a renewed appreciation of photography. Implications of the findings are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
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