Malaysian bereaved fathers’ experiences after the traumatic death of their child

Abstract After the death of a child, bereaved fathers may experience tremendous loss. However, the experiences of bereaved fathers after the death of a child have rarely been studied within the academic literature. This qualitative study aims to explore the experiences of bereaved fathers after their loss. The sample consisted of 12 Malaysian bereaved fathers who lost their child due to accidents (n=11) and homicide (n=1). The findings reported themes which were memories that never end, challenges post-loss, and life after the loss. Subthemes emerged from the data which addressed health issues, stigma, challenges to understand spouses, feelings of emptiness and blaming, growth post-loss, and ongoing relationships. Even though Malay people accept the concept of fate is decided by God, they still have difficulty reconciling their emotions and their beliefs where bereavement is due is to traumatic death.