Deceased Parent in Distressing Dreams: Dealing with Problems in Bereavement Narratives
Kaarina Koski
Studia Mythologica Slavica August 31, 2026 DOI: 10.3986/sms20262907 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Adult daughters describing nightmarish after-death communication with a deceased parent |
| Key findings | Argues that, contrary to the psychological assumption that bereavement nightmares signal difficulty accepting loss, the three analyzed narratives suggest such nightmares reflect problems in the daughter-parent relationship rather than processing the death. The author contends the nightmares express discomfort with a parent's behavior and represent an attempt to change or end the late parent's influence in the daughter's life. |
Abstract
This paper analyses three bereavement narratives in which adult daughters describe nightmarish after-death communication with a deceased parent. The narratives are approached with a narrative analysis in dialogue with psychological approaches to bereavement dreams and continuing bonds. In psychology, bereavement nightmares are usually assumed to signal difficulties accepting loss. However, in the context of bereavement narratives that depict life with the deceased, these nightmares do not appear to process the death but to reflect problems in the daughter-parent relationship. Expressing discomfort with a parent’s behaviour, the nightmares are connected to an attempt to change or end the late parent’s influence in the daughter’s life.