Communicating grief and loss online: Evaluating person-centered support messages

ABSTRACT

This single-class activity expands current literature on person-centered messages by providing attention to message quality in mediated contexts. Students begin the activity by reviewing a hypothetical scenario in which a friend has posted about a family death loss on social media. After reviewing this scenario, students then create sample supportive messages that they could share with a grieving friend. Students are also asked to apply their knowledge about person-centered messages to evaluate other fictional support messages. Students who participate in this activity will be provided with additional skills for comforting grieving friends effectively.

Courses: This single-class activity can be implemented in several courses, including interpersonal communication, the dark side of interpersonal communication, and family communication.

Objectives: Students who complete this activity should be able to: (1) outline what qualities comprise a person-centered support message; (2) discuss why highly person-centered messages are effective in providing support to others; and (3) evaluate death loss support messages across levels of person centeredness.

ORCID

Jennifer Owlett http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5070-0951