Bereavement and Grief Among Employees in an Arab University Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study

Several mental health outcomes develop following bereavement. Little research has examined bereavement in the workplace and the associated risk factors, particularly in Arab populations.

The objectives of this cross-sectional study were to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of bereaved employees, measure the prevalence of their dysfunction, establish the type of closeness and conflict in their relationship with the deceased, determine the available resources to the bereaved, and determine the proportion of bereaved employees who needed help.

A study was conducted on Arabian Gulf University employees (91) in Bahrain. The revised Two Track Bereavement Questionnaire (TTBQ3-CG11) was utilized to assess bereavement outcomes.

The response rate of the study was 28%. The composition of the study population was as follows: 51.6% males, 37.4% in the age range of 40-49 years, 86.8% married, 39.6% Bahraini, and 51.6% academicians. Over half of the participants had biopsychosocial dysfunction, 35.2% had active relational grief and trauma (ARGT), 36.3% had a conflict with the deceased, and half were close to the deceased. Total TTBQ3-CG11 scores showed that 28.6% of the bereaved had a low score (14-22), 61.5% medium (23-28), and 9.9% high (29 or more), with more females than males in the high category. The majority reported receiving adequate support from the administration and colleagues following their loss.

There is a need to establish bereavement policies and procedures at tertiary educational institutes. This study may inform future policies to advance bereavement services in the educational institutions of the region.