It's Complicated—Adolescent Grief in the Time of Covid-19

Abstract

Presently, there is a real possibility of a second pandemic occurring: a grief pandemic. There are estimated to be over 1 million children and young people experiencing bereavement because of Covid-19. Adolescent grief is unique due to bio-psycho-social factors such as increased risk-taking, identity-formation, and limited capacity for emotional regulation. In this article, we will argue that adolescents are at increased risk of developing complicated grief during the Covid-19 pandemic, and that it is vital that services are improved to recognize and address this need before secondary problems emerge, including anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Complicated grief in adolescents is widely underrecognized and often misdiagnosed as a range of mental health problems, addictions, and offending behavior. For example, 25% of <20 year olds who commit suicide have experienced childhood bereavement, whilst 41% of youth offenders have experienced childhood bereavement; this is in comparison with only 4% of the general population. Many of the broader risk factors for complicated grief were already increasing prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, including increased loneliness amongst young people, and the collapse of collective structures to help people manage grief. We propose that this pandemic could be a catalyst for mental health professionals to support and nurture the caring communities emerging in this time as an essential resource to prevent the onset of a grief pandemic.

Parental perspectives on the grief and support needs of children and young people bereaved during the Covid-19 pandemic: Qualitative findings from a national survey

“…They also provide empirical evidence for pandemic-specific stressors hypothesised for children and young people (8,9), and observed for bereaved adults (27)(28)(29)(30). These include loss-related challenges such as separation from grandparents due to shielding, being unable to visit or say good-bye to them immediately prior to the death (28), and being apart from other family members in early bereavement (27,28); all factors which were felt to make the death harder to process and accept.…”

“…1) Facilitating open communication and healthy grieving within families and among friends, via the promotion of age-appropriate, accessible self-help resources and materials made available online and via community organisations such as schools, libraries, GP practices and pharmacies. Provision of informal sessions aimed at improving community grief literacy with respect to children as well as adults, with specific consideration to the pandemic context in shaping grief experiences, is also recommended (9,12,33,34).…”

“…Research has shown that childhood bereavement increases the risk of adverse outcomes across the life-course (2)(3)(4)(5). In pre-pandemic times it is estimated that 5 to 20% of bereaved children and adolescents develop psychiatric difficulties (6,7), with predictions that this may increase during the pandemic (8,9), along with psycho-social, educational and workplace problems (9). During Covid-19 it has been suggested that children may be at enhanced risk for negative mental health impacts, given their limited capacity to fully understand their surroundings and control their environments (8), and the known effects of loneliness and social isolation on depression and anxiety amongst children and adolescents (10).…”

The Impact of COVID-19 on Young People’s Mental Health in the UK: Key Insights from Social Media Using Online Ethnography

“…In addition, it has been suggested that grief experienced during COVID-19 has associated “feelings of guilt, shame, isolation and abandonment” [ 8 ] and some young people described this grief as linked with depression and suicidal thoughts. Given the potential “grief pandemic” [ 43 ] that society may face, it is evident that this complex grief necessitates reflecting on in order to support young people.…”

An Ethnography Study of a Viral YouTube Educational Video in Ecuador: Dealing With Death and Grief in Times of COVID-19

“…Poor education about death and mourning processes, together with overprotective family and social attitudes, moves children away from death to avoid what is considered an "unnecessary suffering" (13,14). The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted these shortcomings (15,16) and the severe difficulties that individuals, but mostly society, have to manage grief 's complexity under adverse scenarios (17)(18)(19) and chronosystem pressure (20). The situation is worsened by multiple mourning, as to the loss of the loved ones, individuals add other material, economic, and social losses that increase the meaning and impact.…”