In my theory-based thesis, I will deal with the hypothesis: Every person, regardless of cognitive abilities, is able to mourn, to understand death, and they should not be denied that. A differentiated conclusion should be an appeal to social institutions in particular to break the taboo on the topics of dying, death and grief and to show possible solutions for raising awareness with regard to work, or dealing with people with cognitive disabilities and dealing with the end of life.
In the beginning, I will explain the terms "death" and "disability" in context of their social taboo, in order to then go into more detail about their connection and to emphasize the motive of the thesis. This will be followed by a more extensive discussion, which, based on Piaget's stage model of cognitive development and Wittkowski's concept of death, will use appropriate practical examples in the form of participatory observations to demonstrate that people with a wide range of cognitive abilities are capable of understanding "death".
In addition, I would like to discuss the extent to which personal fear of being confronted with death and possibly other factors motivate employees of social institutions and relatives to exercise the aforementioned reluctance towards the clients. Among other things, I would like to use Franke's work to justify the individual and social benefit of further taboo breaking. Finally, I will summarize my findings regarding the need for change in the attitude towards death in social work and show possible solutions.
Ultimately, the thesis should serve as an appeal to the reader and in particular to social institutions to question the personal and professional handling of the topics of dying, death and grief and invite them to deal with it more intensively in order to gain a more conscious approach and thus to be able to support people with cognitive disabilities in a more sensitive and individual manner.
Table of Contents
1. The starting point: The assumption of "not understanding"
2. When "taboos" meet death and disability
2.1. Explanation in context of their social taboo
2.2. Development theory and concept of death: From Piaget to Wittkowski
2.2.1 Possible linking of the concepts
2.3. Three practical examples: People who understand death.
2.3.1 The death of a brother
2.3.2 A daughter's grief
2.4. The hubris of preservation
3. The end - A conclusion
Objectives and Core Themes
The thesis explores the hypothesis that every individual, regardless of their cognitive abilities, possesses the capacity to mourn and understand the concept of death. It aims to challenge the systemic tendency in social care institutions to treat mortality as a taboo subject, which often acts as a barrier to the self-determination of people with cognitive disabilities. By integrating Piaget’s stages of cognitive development with Wittkowski’s multidimensional concept of death, the author advocates for a more inclusive, sensitive, and resource-oriented professional approach to end-of-life care.
- The intersection of cognitive disabilities and the social taboo of death.
- Application of developmental psychology theories to understanding death.
- Analysis of participatory observations in end-of-life settings.
- Critique of professional "hubris" in shielding clients from mortality.
- Recommendations for fostering a more open and supportive care culture.
Excerpt from the Book
2.3.1 The death of a brother
Case description:
W.* is about 60 years old and lives in a residential group for people with cognitive disabilities and challenging behavior.
He lives under the conditions of autism, communicates non-verbally, has a relatively large passive vocabulary and perceives his environment primarily sensorimotor.
He attends a day care center part-time and spends most of his time both there and at home lying on a sofa, performing repetitive rocking motions.
A yes-no communication was established with him, in which a hand is held out to him in response to a simple question and he grabs it if he agrees and pushes the hand away and turns away from the other person, if he rejects. This communication has proven to be relatively reliable.
W.'s older brother, with whom he was in close contact until a few years ago, recently died.
It is unclear among the employees how to communicate this message to W. Opinions also differ as to whether W. should be informed about his brother's death at all.
One employee states, among other things: "He wouldn´t be able to understand that at all."
I agree with the legal guardian (LG) to try to bring the message to W. together, as we feel that withholding the information contradicts our understanding of the job.
Summary of Chapters
1. The starting point: The assumption of "not understanding": The author introduces the motivation for the thesis based on experiences in hospice and care work, questioning the exclusion of clients from death-related discourse.
2. When "taboos" meet death and disability: This chapter contextualizes the social taboos surrounding both death and disability, analyzing how stigma often leads to professional silence and marginalization.
2.1. Explanation in context of their social taboo: This section explores how historical and social shifting attitudes toward death have created a culture of silence that impacts the care provided to people with disabilities.
2.2. Development theory and concept of death: From Piaget to Wittkowski: The author bridges Jean Piaget’s cognitive development stages with Joachim Wittkowski’s thanatopsychological dimensions to create a framework for assessing death conceptualization.
2.2.1 Possible linking of the concepts: This section provides a speculative mapping of developmental stages onto specific dimensions of death understanding, establishing the theoretical basis for the empirical observations.
2.3. Three practical examples: People who understand death.: The author presents observational case studies to demonstrate that individuals across different cognitive levels can grasp the gravity of life and death.
2.3.1 The death of a brother: A case study involving an autistic client who processes his brother’s death through non-verbal communication and specific markers of sad behavior.
2.3.2 A daughter's grief: An observational study of a woman with Trisomy 21 processing the death of her mother, highlighting her ability to participate meaningfully in funeral planning despite opposition from guardians.
2.4. The hubris of preservation: This section critiques the paternalistic "hubris" of caregivers who withhold information about death under the guise of protection, arguing that this actually impedes self-determination.
3. The end - A conclusion: The author summarizes findings, reiterating that denying the mourning process is a violation of rights and urging social workers to adopt an ethos of pedagogical optimism.
Keywords
Death, Disability, Social Work, Grief, Cognitive Development, Jean Piaget, Joachim Wittkowski, Thanatopsychology, Taboo, Self-determination, Hospice, Inclusion, Caregiver Ethics, Mourning, Sensory Perception.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research?
The work focuses on the intersection of cognitive disability and the experience of death, arguing that social institutions often unfairly deny people the right to grieve due to misconceptions about their comprehension levels.
What are the central thematic fields?
The core themes include thanatopsychology, social pedagogical ethics, the societal taboos of death and disability, and the practical application of developmental psychological models in caregiving.
What is the core hypothesis of the thesis?
The thesis posits that every individual, regardless of their cognitive abilities, is capable of understanding death and has the right to mourn; denying them this constitutes a barrier to their dignity and self-determination.
What scientific methodology is utilized?
The author employs a theory-based approach, combining literary review of developmental psychology (Piaget) and death research (Wittkowski) with qualitative, participatory observations gathered during professional care work.
What is covered in the main section?
The main section moves from a historical and societal analysis of death taboos to a theoretical framework comparing cognitive development with the dimensions of death, followed by concrete case study observations of clients facing loss.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include death, disability, social work, grief, cognitive development, pedagogical optimism, and the breaking of silence/taboos in professional care environments.
How does the author define the "hubris of preservation"?
The author defines this as the tendency of caregivers to hide death-related information from clients to shield them from distress, which ultimately reflects the caregiver’s own discomfort rather than the client’s inability to cope.
What conclusion does the author draw from the case studies?
The author concludes that cognitive limitations do not preclude the capacity for grief and that clients are often more resilient and capable of understanding loss than their caregivers assume.
Is there a specific approach suggested for funeral planning?
Yes, the author advocates for including individuals with cognitive disabilities in the planning and ritual process, treating them as active subjects in their own grieving rather than passive bystanders.
- Citar trabajo
- Lea-Sophie Hirschfeld (Autor), 2022, Breaking the Social Taboo of Dying, Death and Grief. An Appeal to Institutions of the Social Work Field, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1264767
