Giving Voice to the Transformative Learning of Mothers who Lost a Child to Suicide
Open Access
- Author:
- Whalen, Gina
- Graduate Program:
- Lifelong Learning and Adult Education
- Degree:
- Doctor of Education
- Document Type:
- Dissertation
- Date of Defense:
- September 11, 2020
- Committee Members:
- Elizabeth Jean Tisdell, Dissertation Advisor/Co-Advisor
Elizabeth Jean Tisdell, Committee Chair/Co-Chair
Robin Redmon Wright, Committee Member
Gina Brelsford, Committee Member
Anne Ayer Verplanck, Outside Member
Elizabeth Jean Tisdell, Program Head/Chair - Keywords:
- transformative learning
suicide
child loss
bereaved mothers
feminist perspectives on adult learning
autoethnography
narrative
grief
suicide loss survivors
suicide bereaved
critical reflection
discourse dialogue
adult education
suicide postvention - Abstract:
- The purpose of this study is to understand the experience of mothers who lost a child to suicide, in particular how they have learned to cope with their devastating loss. The study is grounded in two theoretical frameworks: feminist perspectives on adult learning and transformative learning theory, which explores the process of change in an individual’s taken-for-granted worldview to make the worldview more inclusive. The study is designed to combine narrative inquiry and autoethnography. The personal experiences of the researcher are intertwined with the narratives of the four participating mothers who, like the researcher, have each lost a child to suicide. Data collection consisted of two sets of semi-structured interviews with each of the four participants. An autoethnographic analysis was employed through a series of reflections on the participants’ narratives supplied during the initial interview. Data analysis revealed four interrelated themes regarding how mothers who have lost a child to suicide learn to cope and move forward after their loss. The first theme centers on the distress experienced from losing a child suddenly to suicide. The second theme of trying to make sense, reveals the existential questioning that occurs as the mothers take stock of their new reality. The third theme uncovers the meaningful sources of support that were a lifeline in easing the participants’ suffering. The fourth theme demonstrates how each of these women sought a way to help comfort and ease the pain of others. Reflecting on their personal narratives revealed new insights for the participants regarding their evolving transformative learning journeys: recognition of personal strength, motivation for further personal growth, and a hope for peace. The findings are examined in light of transformative learning theory, feminist perspectives on adult learning, and suicide bereavement literature. The study concludes with implications for theory and practice and offers suggestions for future research.