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Exploring the relationship between spirituality, locus of control, and bereavement experience among older adults
Naglaa Alsaied Mostafa Alfauomy1, Abeer Ramadan Awad Gamaa1, Mohamed Gamal Elsehrawy2
1Gerontological Nursing Department, Faculty of Nursing, Damanhour University, Egypt.
Aim:
The current study aimed to examine the relationship between spirituality, locus of control, and bereavement experience in older adults.
Design:
A descriptive correlational cross-sectional survey design was adopted.
Data Sources:
The study included 308 older adults recruited from four post offices affiliated with the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in Damanhour, Beheira Governorate, Egypt between February and May 2025. Data were collected using four instruments: a demographic and clinical information questionnaire, the Bereavement Experience Questionnaire-Short Form (BEQ-24), Levenson's Multidimensional Locus of Control Scales (MLCS), and the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS).
Results:
The findings revealed small but statistically significant negative correlations between bereavement experience and locus of control dimensions among the studied older adults (r = -0.274 for total locus of control, p < 0.001; r = -0.212 for internal control, p < 0.001; r = -0.151 for powerful others, p = 0.008; r = -0.187 for chance, p = 0.001). Spiritual well-being was not significantly correlated with bereavement experience (r = 0.014, p = 0.923) and did not emerge as a significant predictor in the regression analysis.
Implications For Nursing:
Understanding the relationship between locus of control and bereavement experience may help gerontological and psychiatric nurses develop supportive interventions that strengthen older adults' sense of personal control and adaptive coping during grief. Spiritual aspects may also be considered as part of holistic bereavement care.
Conclusion:
The study findings suggest that locus of control, particularly internal control, may play a role in older adults' adjustment to bereavement. In contrast, spiritual well-being was not identified as a significant predictor of bereavement experience in the current sample.
Relevance For Clinical Practice:
These findings may assist gerontological nurses, mental health professionals, and caregivers in planning individualized bereavement care for older adults. Approaches that address perceived personal control may be considered when supporting emotional adjustment during bereavement.