Experiences of grief and mourning practices of Greek bereaved adults during the pandemic: A qualitative approach

Abstract

This pilot study aims to explore the experiences of grief and mourning practices of bereaved adults during the pandemic. Eleven adults who have lost a loved one since March 2020 participated in a semi-structured interview exploring the experiences of grief and mourning. Data were analyzed through Thematic Analysis. Participants experienced contrasting psycho-emotional reactions to loss, and they highlighted the restriction of being physically present to the dying loved one as the hardest aspect of losing someone during COVID-19. Moreover, they identified challenging factors during the funeral practices: the small number of mourners during ceremonies, abstinence from hugging and touching each other as a form of consolation, and wearing masks, which further made the ceremony impersonal. Finally, the alteration of the paying respects process has contributed to the mourners’ experienced stress and sorrow. Findings are discussed per the current literature and recommendations based on cultural diversities are proposed.