Adolescent Grief: Relationship Category and Emotional Closeness

Abstract

Bereaved adolescents (N = 90) who had experienced relatively common death losses (e.g., grandparent, friend) completed the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief and the Emotional Closeness Scale and Continuum. Results indicated that present grief was significantly higher for friend than for grandparent death loss. A MANOVA revealed that those in the high closeness group reported significantly higher mean scores on past and present grief than those in the low closeness group. Finally, in a hierarchal multiple regression, after demographic variables were entered (e.g., age, present at death), emotional closeness added significant variance to the prediction of past and present grief. This research contributes to the understanding of grief intensity following adolescents' most common death losses and highlights the importance of counselors' intentionally and directly assessing bereaved adolescents' perceived emotional closeness to the deceased as part of grief-related counseling.

Family characteristics and dynamics: A systems approach to grief

“…Adolescents have support networks comprised of individuals representing various roles, functions, levels of intimacy, and stability (Servaty-Seib & Pistole, 2007). Grief during this phase of life involves the interrelated processes Downloaded by [Laurentian University] at 13:23 07 December 2014 of maturation and loss reactions to the death of a sibling, parent, grandparent, pet, or friend (Corr & Corr, 2013).…”

“…Although their experiences with loss may be more common than once believed (see Corr & Corr, 2013), many teenagers are unfamiliar with how to respond to a grieving friend. Adolescents are likely to turn to their supportive friends to express their reactions and process feelings (Servaty-Seib & Pistole, 2007).…”

Complicated Grief and Depression in Young Adults

“…Closeness and conflict between the bereaved and deceased prior to loss are aspects of the quality of a relationship that appear to be important to the grief response (Holland & Neimeyer, 2011; Packman et al, 2006; Servaty-Seib & Pistole, 2006). In one of the only studies specifically focused on relationship closeness with the deceased in young adults, high level of closeness was associated with negative social changes and academic consequences and mental health problems in bereaved college students (Walker, Hathcoat, & Noppe, 2011).…”

Prolonged Grief Disorder and Depression in a German Community Sample

“…Many researchers argue that closeness to the deceased is relevant to grief intensity (Brent et al, 1992;Servaty-Seib & Pistole, 2006). Indeed, closeness-rather than kinship-is salient to grief intensity (Archer, 1999).…”