Socialisation of Children to Cope With Death, Bereavement and Grief - A Berger and Luckman Inspired Analysis of Children's Picture Books in a Chinese Context.

Abstract

Children's understanding of death, bereavement and grief develop through socialisation where picture books also may play a role. The study explores how children's picture books published in China (2010-2024), communicated themes of death, bereavement and grief. A systematic search identified 321 relevant books, of which 47 met the inclusion criteria and were analysed using both descriptive and a Berger and Luckmann-inspired qualitative thematic approach. Three themes were constructed: 'Nature as a framework for understanding death, bereavement and grief ', 'Normalisation strategies of death, bereavement and grief', and 'Reinventing new relationships to the deceased'. Nature was depicted as a retreat and a medium for socialising children about death, bereavement, and grief. Grieving and bereavement were portrayed as complex processes, with external support and communal rituals emphasised as essential strategies, shaped by societal norms and rituals. Relationships with the deceased were often reinvented to continue bonds.