Abstract (eng)
The aim of this thesis is to examine how individuals with intellectual disability experi-ence the death of a person living together with them in the same residential group home. Special emphasis was laid on the six areas of grief experience: experiences with grief, dealing with grief, involvement in the events, support system, coping with grief and wishes for the future.
In the first part of the thesis, the theoretical evaluation of the main subject area takes place. For this, the term ‘intellectual disability is viewed from different perspectives. In the following, the characteristics in old age in individuals with intellectual disabilities are explained and a digression on individuals with intellectual disability in the time of the National Socialism is provided. Theoretical aspects of grief are outlined as well. This takes places through introducing the grief tasks according to Worden (2010) and the grief theory according to Bowlby (1983) and Kast (1987). Subsequently, the specific characteristics of individuals with intellectual disability in the grieving process are de-scribed.
In the second part of the thesis, the empirical analysis is in the foreground. Six inter-views have been carried out with individuals with intellectual disability and have been analysed regarding the given research implication. The survey method was the problem focused interview (Witzel 2000); the evaluation took place by means of the qualitative content analysis (Mayring 2010). It was observed that individuals with intellectual dis-ability experienced the death of a person living in the same residential group home dif-ferently. Grief was always the predominant feeling which decreased in the course of time. All interviewed individuals were involved in the events and had the possibility to say goodbye to the deceased. Conversations with the religious counsellor were impor-tant to all persons. Moreover, specific wishes were stated to the caregivers for future cases of death within the residential group home.