Abstract
The present study examined beliefs about grief and bereavement in a sample of mental health professionals and the general public in the United States. In part 1 of this study, we developed a 12-item questionnaire based on extant thanatology literature and expert review. In part 2, 210 participants rated their beliefs about grief and bereavement using this questionnaire. Participants rated most items accurately, and mental health professionals were more likely to answer items accurately compared to the general public. These findings provide support for increasing grief literacy in professional and public domains.
Author note
Findings from this study were presented at the virtual 2020 convention of the American Psychological Association.