Prolonged Grief Disorder and Its Relationship With Perceived Social Support and Depression Among University Students.

Ekhlas Al-Gamal,Tony Long,Shahad Bin Saeed,Agnes Victor

doi:10.3928/02793695-20181023-03

Ekhlas Al-Gamal, Tony Long + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3928/02793695-20181023-03

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Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between prolonged grief disorder, perceived social support, and severity of depression among Saudi Arabian university students after the death of a significant individual. A cross-sectional design was used to examine descriptive characteristics, correlational relationships, and statistical mean differences between male and female participants on prolonged grief disorder (PGD) scores in a convenience sample of Saudi Arabian college students. The Prolonged Grief Disorder-13 tool, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the revised Beck Depression Inventory® were completed by 226 Saudi Arabian undergraduate students. Students reported moderate perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others. Only 13 (5.8%) individuals reported perceived support from academic staff. Students with the highest PGD scores were the least well-supported and most depressed. The need for academic staff and social workers to provide more social support to grieving students is discussed. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 57(2), 44-51.].

Highlights

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between prolonged grief disorder, perceived social support, and severity of depression among Saudi Arabian university students after the death of a significant individual
Mental health counselors are repeatedly confronted with concerns of grief, but the distinction between normal grief and complicated grief—a term used to include severe and atypical grief, such as prolonged grief disorder (PGD)—is not well established (Howarth, 2011)
According to an article published in Oncology Nursing Forum, individuals who experience PGD frequently have a positive family history of the disorder, and their first reaction to loss is shock, disbelief, and numbness (National Institutes of Health, 2017)

Summary

Introduction

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between prolonged grief disorder, perceived social support, and severity of depression among Saudi Arabian university students after the death of a significant individual. Research conducted by the Columbia University School of Social Work estimates that approximately 10% of all bereaved individuals develop complicated grief. It is not clear exactly what causes persistent grief, the cause of normal grief can most commonly be attributed to the death of a loved one. Several risk factors for developing PGD were identified, including a history of prior trauma or loss; a history of mood and anxiety disorders; insecure attachment style; being a caregiver for the deceased individual; a violent cause of the individual’s death, such as suicide; and lack of social support (Jordan & Litz, 2014)

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