Grief severity: A comparison between human and companion animal death

Abstract

Grief severity was investigated and compared amongst 50 participants aged 18 to 65 years who had experienced the death of a human (n = 35) or the death of a companion animal (n = 15). Participants were recruited in Australia and completed an on-line self-report questionnaire package, measuring grief severity, social support, and emotional connection to the deceased. There were no significant differences between the levels of grief severity, however, the qualitative analyses highlighted the complexities associated with attempting to compare these grief experiences. These results highlight the importance of therapists acknowledging and validating companion animal grief.