Ambiguous Loss from Parental Substance Use Disorder: Implications for Child Attachment and Development
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Authors
Harper, Jordyn
Issue Date
2026-02-16
Type
Capstone
Language
en
Keywords
ambiguous loss , psychological absence , attachment disruption , parent-child relationship , developmental impacts , emotional dysregulation
Alternative Title
Abstract
Ambiguous loss, a concept coined by Pauline Boss, provides an understanding for the psychological loss of an individual that lacks clarity and closure for another. Leaving loved ones without clarity and closure or answers nor a resolution. Due to this uncertainty, individuals are left in a continuous state of unresolved grief. Ambiguous loss is applied in many ways but lacks recognition within parental substance use disorder (SUD). This capstone research project explores how ambiguous loss shows up within child-parent relationships specifically through attachment and development when a parent struggles with SUD. While utilizing attachment and developmental theories and literature, this paper is able to explore how relational inconsistency may contribute to certain attachment styles, patterns, and consequently alter a child's emotional, cognitive and behavioural development. By recognizing parental SUD through the ambiguous loss lens, this review highlights attachment impairments as a key component that links substance use to long term developmental risks. This capstone thoroughly explores five key themes evident in the literature, correlating parental SUD functions, attachment, childhood internalization, intergenerational transmission, and developmental impacts. With these findings, this research project then concludes with future implications on how clinicians can better support individuals exposed to this extremely underrepresented but tremendously important topic.