Supporting bereaved students in higher education: student perspectives

ABSTRACT

Bereavement is a universal experience common within the higher education student population. The present study aimed to understand the experiences and support needs of bereaved Australian university students. In semi-structured interviews, 12 students (10 women, 2 men; M_age= 38.13, SD = 15.37) shared their experiences of bereavement while studying. A thematic analysis resulted in three themes: Relationships between study and bereavement, Navigating the university system, and What students need. The findings highlighted varying levels of support accessed and level of need, which were influenced by the circumstances of the student and the loss, mode of study, personal resources, and perceptions of the university system’s ability to help. The findings highlight the need to develop and communicate clear policies and procedures so that bereaved students are supported.

KEYWORDS:

• Bereavement
• counselling in higher education
• qualitative methods

Data availability statement

Ethical approval precludes the data being used for another purpose or being available to others. Specifically, the ethical approval specifies that public results are in aggregate form to maintain confidentiality and privacy and precludes identifiable records (i.e. transcripts) being made publicly available.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Chantal N. Spiccia

Chantal N. Spiccia recently completed a Master of Psychology (Counselling Psychology) at Curtin University, Australia. Her research thesis on bereaved students’ experiences and support needs was supervised by Professor Lauren Breen.

Joel A. Howell

Joel A. Howell is a clinical psychologist in private practice and an Adjunct Lecturer in psychology at Curtin University, Australia. His research interests include perfectionism, cognitive biases, psychological wellbeing, and learning analytics.

Carrie Arnold

Carrie Arnold is a Certified Canadian Counsellor with the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association and an Assistant Professor in the thanatology programme at King’s University College, Western University, Canada. She has published on the experiences of adolescent girls, attachment and loss, and an edited volume entitled Understanding Child and Adolescent Grief: Supporting Loss and Facilitating Growth (Routledge). Her forthcoming book, co-edited with Lauren Breen, is The Routledge International Handbook of Child and Adolescent Loss in Contemporary Contexts.

Ashton Hay

Ashton Hay is currently completing her Doctor of Philosophy (Psychology). In her research, she investigates the experiences and support needs of bereaved university students. Her research is supervised by Professor Lauren Breen and Dr Joel Howell.

Lauren J. Breen

Lauren J. Breen is a Professor in psychology at Curtin University, Australia, and a Registered Psychologist. Her research centres on issues of grief and loss across the lifespan, for families and communities, and for health and social care professionals. She is a Fellow in Thanatology: Death, Dying and Bereavement. She is a member of the International Work Group on Death, Dying and Bereavement; a Board Member of the Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement and of Lionheart Camps for Kids; and Managing Editor of Death Studies.