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Psychological development during four years of bereavement: a longitudinal case study
Death Studies
|December 8, 1997
Summary
College student bereavement is common, impacting over 25% experiencing family death grief. This grief can disrupt crucial developmental tasks during their academic years.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Higher Education Studies
Background:
- Bereavement is a significant yet often underestimated issue among college students.
- Grief can impede the resolution of critical developmental tasks in traditional-age college students, including autonomy and relationship formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the impact of parental death on a college student's grief process and developmental trajectory.
- To provide longitudinal insights into the multifaceted experience of student bereavement.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal case study of a college student who experienced her father's death.
- Utilized multiple data sources: Impact of Events Scale, journal entries, and the Grant Foundation Bereavement Inventory.
- Compared findings to a separate longitudinal study of 80 bereaved students.
Main Results:
- The Impact of Events Scale indicated changes in intrusive and avoidant thoughts over time.
- Journal entries revealed evolving relationships with the deceased father and coping mechanisms.
- The Grant Foundation Bereavement Inventory showed shifts in attachment, reunion fantasies, disbelief, identification, and loyalty feelings.
Conclusions:
- Bereavement significantly affects college students' ability to navigate developmental tasks.
- Longitudinal data offer valuable insights into the complex and evolving nature of grief in young adults.
- Interventions supporting bereaved students are crucial for academic and personal development.
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