Grief and Best Friendship Among Adolescent Girls

This article explores the relationship between grief and best friendship (BF) dynamics among adolescent girls. Based on a qualitative interview study with 10 Danish girls, findings suggest that bereavement affects friendship dynamics in ways that challenge the by-standing friend in succeeding with being and staying supportive. Through a thematic analysis, we identify 12 themes that cut across the case stories, all of which testify to the difficulties bereavement represent to friendship quality and maintenance. Among other issues, it seems like grief is contagious and the bereaved friend changes her way of responding to the by-standing friend in ways that disturb expectations, values, and virtues of BF among girls in adolescence. The general categories found to be characteristic for long-term BFs, that is, positivity, supportiveness, openness, and interaction are all affected by bereavement in adolescent BFs among girls.