What is and what could have been: Future identity bereavement

Drong, Gabrielle

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129361 Copy

Description

Title

What is and what could have been: Future identity bereavement

Author(s)

Drong, Gabrielle

Issue Date

2025-03-11

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Napolitano, Chris

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Napolitano, Chris

Committee Member(s)

• Andrade, Flavia
• Garthe, Rachel
• Ginsberg, Rebecca

Department of Study

Educational Psychology

Discipline

Educational Psychology

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• bereavement
• loss
• grief
• incarceration
• identity
• future

Abstract

This study explores formerly incarcerated individuals’ experience of future identity bereavement. Although extensive research has been done on identity loss, the loss of a future identity, or the self-I-hoped-to-be, has not been conceptualized as a form of bereavement or considered a serious loss. Future identity bereavement may be particularly prevalent for incarcerated people, leading to social withdrawal, isolation, and emotional suppression. Imprisonment often detaches people from their support systems, and often complicates one’s prospects and ability to find community upon release. Despite prior research on identity in prison or the experience of bereavement for incarcerated individuals, attempts have not been made to link these two concepts or research them in the future temporality. To this end, I conducted 12 semi-structured recorded interviews with formerly incarcerated male and female individuals to capture rich narratives of their experiences of future identity bereavement. I utilized the Dual Process Model of Bereavement as a lens with which to conceptualize the loss. Following Giorgi’s (2000) Descriptive Phenomenological framework for analysis, themes emerged surrounding this phenomenon. Findings suggest that these individuals experience a multitude of future identity losses: loss of self in dream career, loss of self as parent, and the loss of the non-incarcerated self. Participants described their grief experience, noting feelings of sadness, guilt and shame, regret. They then described how they went on to cope, find meaning in their losses, and move forward with new future identities to strive for. Policy recommendations and interventions, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.

Graduation Semester

2025-05

Type of Resource

Thesis

Handle URL

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/129361

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2025 Gabrielle Drong

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