Education Commons^™

Grief In The Basic Course, Carly Densmore, Jessica Cherry

Basic Communication Course Annual

In a broad search of the Basic Communication Course Annual, there is little discussion regarding student or instructor grief in the basic course. However, in our own experiences teaching the basic course, student expressions of grief are common. Grief is expected to be hidden or silenced, and is often not welcomed in the classroom (Hurst, 2009). Grief is unique to each individual; we can feel grief over a variety of losses, and there is no one way to cope with grief. Grief is not only an emotional but a physical experience, and it is not “a relinquishing of ties to …

Death, Grief, And Loss Through The Eyes Of Child: The Importance Of Teaching Children About Death Using Children’S Literature, Sara M. Holzschuh

University Honors Theses

This thesis will explore how we view death as a death-denying society, along with the importance of teaching children about death and grief early on in their lives. When talking to children about death it is critical to refrain from abstract language and instead use death-specific language. Children need to understand that death is a universal experience, that death is irreversible, and that the body ceases all life functions at the time of death. This thesis will also discuss avenues for teaching children about death and argues that picture books are a fantastic way of introducing children to death. It …

The Way Of Eldering: Spiritual Maturation Across The Lifespan, Kineret Yardena

Social Work Theses

Background and Objectives

People in midlife are often encumbered with uncertainty about how to transition toward later life without regret. Many sense the need to spiritually mature as they age, but lack practical guidance. Elders are those in later life who have made this transition and who have become sources of wisdom, nurturance and guidance for those younger than they. This phenomenological study explores the spiritual maturation journey of eldering.

Research Design and Methods

Ten people who were identified as elders took part in intuitive life story interviews. Using Story Method, this phenomenological study sought to identify key themes in …

An Examination Of Death In Premier Counseling Journals, Aaron Suomala Folkerds Edd, Diane H. Coursol Ph.D.

The Interactive Journal of Global Leadership and Learning

This qualitative content analysis (QCA) examined five premier counseling journals and their coverage of death related issues from 1986-2022: Journal of Counseling and Development (JCD), Journal of Humanistic Counseling (JHC), Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development (JMCD), Counselor Education and Supervision (CES) and Counseling and Values (CV). Of the 6180 journal articles published across all five journals, 62 articles covered death related topics. Eight major death related themes emerged through the QCA process and included: Research on Death-Related Issues, Personal Reflection and Poetry, Grief and Loss Education, Book Reviews, Responding to Campus Death, Providing Grief Counseling, DSM and Bereavement Diagnosis …

The Bereaved Songwriters' Project, Laura A. Figueroa

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to evaluate bereaved individuals’ responses to a reflective songwriting program intervention (RSPI). The purposive and convenient sample included 30 bereaved adults who were members of the teaching staff at a private, Christian, K-12 school in the southeastern United States and/or past or present members of the church with which the school was affiliated. The researcher developed a simple and succinct RSPI in which study participants were prompted to create an original musical piece using personal reflections, memories, and descriptions in song form to commemorate a deceased loved one. The Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being …

Grief In Children With Disabilities And How It Is Portrayed In Children's Picture Books, Erjola Gjini

Theses and Dissertations

Even though today's children's literature provides a wide range of topics, including books on death and grief, and much has been done to represent children with disabilities accurately and positively, there is still room for improvement. This descriptive study sought to understand how individuals with disabilities were represented in 177 grief-themed children's books from 1965-2023. From the results, only seven books included representations of individuals with disabilities. Additionally, the literary devices such as euphemisms or metaphors utilized in the books to describe how death was represented may inadvertently perpetuate inaccessibility to resources about grief (Berns, 2004). Thus, when choosing books …

Therapeutic Approaches To Working With Perinatal Loss Clients: A Grounded Theory Study, Heather H. Olivier

University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations

Perinatal loss (i.e., miscarriage, stillbirth, termination, and infant death) is commonly referred to in the literature as an invisible loss, non-loss, and even medical event. It is an ambiguous loss exhibiting the dialectical contradiction between the physical absence and psychological presence of the baby accompanied by disenfranchised grief, a reaction to a loss that is unacknowledged by society. Despite the likelihood of mental health clinicians working with clients who have experienced perinatal loss, there has yet to be a therapeutic model designed specifically for the unique grief and trauma reactions presented in this population. Existing grief models do not address …

Strategies For Supporting College Students Experiencing Grief, Rachel A. Guimond

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Grief and loss are a shared human experience. However, lacking cultural awareness of the impact of grief and insufficient social support can make managing the loss of a loved one very challenging for students. One strategy to support students who experience loss during college is the development of a course that addresses content related to the experience within supportive academic relationships. This presentation will explore research findings about student experiences of grief on college campuses and evidence-based practices for the development and implementation of an academic course on grief.

“You Need To Allow Yourself To Grieve That Loss And That Identity.” College Athletes’ Transition To Life After College Sport.”, Clare Manthey, Jimmy Smith

Journal of Athlete Development and Experience

Only a small percentage of collegiate athletes compete at the professional level of sport after they graduate, leaving most athletes to transition out of a life involved in sport. Research reviewing life after competitive sport for college athletes and the consequences associated with such a transition is plentiful, however, additional research also argues that life transition research is necessary to maximize the understanding of such a phenomenon. A case study approach used Schlossberg’s Theory of Transition (2011) to research recently retired collegiate college athletes and their time transitioning away from competitive college sports. Several themes emerged from the qualitative results …

Student Affairs Professionals’ Experiences Supporting Students Through A Grief Loss: A Qualitative Study, Lenora Mitchell

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This qualitative study examined the experiences of student affairs administration-prepared (SAAP) professionals’ application of knowledge and skills to interact with grieving students and the ways in which their respective SAAP programs prepared them for this work. This study examined (a) the experiences of SAAP professionals supporting a student navigating grief loss at one case study institution and (b) reflections on the application of skills and knowledge gained from their education preparation programs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three full-time SAAP professionals at a single institution, and a comparative analysis of their educational preparation curriculum was conducted. Participants were asked to …

Parents' Grief Literacy: How Loss Is Talked About With Children, Abigail Mccarthy

All Master's Theses

Grief can encompass many types of loss, such as losing a job, moving to a new state, or changing careers, and it can affect socioemotional, behavioral, and physical aspects of daily living (Brenn et al., 2020; Favazza & Munson, 2010). Previous research has shown that the process of grief is largely misunderstood in the United States, and misconceptions of the grief and loss process can lead to perpetuated incorrect beliefs, maladaptive coping, and incorrect medical treatment (McLean et al., 2022; Sawyer et al., 2021). The term grief literacy encompasses the knowledge and engagement with topics surrounding grief and loss (Breen …

One Last Month, Or Clancy's Time-Box, Safiyya Bintali

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

One Last Month is a young adult (YA) novella of roughly forty-three thousand words aimed at readers in middle school and in early high school grades. Structurally, it is an “ensemble Bildungsroman”, wherein all the main characters—rather than just one—embark on journeys of emotional growth and are given significant plot focus. Through the characters, One Last Month focuses on the importance and influence of non-romantic love, specifically through homosocial relationships between the novella’s male characters. It also touches on the process of grief beyond the Kübler-Ross structure and, though more subtly, emotional expression in young men. Through one of the …

Part Ii - De Profundis: Deep Personal Grief Precipitates Musical Masterpieces, Karen Demol

Pro Rege

Editor's Note: This is Part II of Dr. DeMol's article. See the March 2022 issue for Part I.

Where I’M From: Internal Manifestations Among Cambodian Women Using The Expressive Arts A Literature Review, Noeun Chhim

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Chronic mental illness has affected many Cambodian people, but, culturally, Cambodians aren’t accustomed to opening up and discussing their feelings, rather defining mental illness to craziness and seeking help is presumed taboo. Thus, Cambodians are often reluctant to talk about their experiences and/or their related illnesses. Though Cambodians have experienced inconceivable suffering and violence during the Khmer Rouge era, for the purpose of this thesis, I will be discussing the role of Cambodian women and investigate the extent of what they’ve witnessed and experienced. Cambodian women have suffered through many years of trauma and grief, during and after the Khmer …

The Role Of Gender On Holistic Grief Effects Experienced By College Students, Christiana Olaleye, Mary Alice Varga

Georgia Journal of College Student Affairs

This study examined the grief effects college students experience when losing a loved one and whether grief effects vary based on gender. Grief effects were outlined by the Holistic Impact of Bereavement and included emotional, cognitive, physical, behavioral, interpersonal, and spiritual effects. The researchers hypothesized that college students would experience all six grief effects, primarily emotional and cognitive effects. The researchers also hypothesized that female students would experience statistically significantly greater grief effects than male students, specifically emotional and cognitive effects. Results indicated a statistically significant difference in the emotional, physical, cognitive, and behavioral grief effects experienced between female and …

Another Empty Seat: Educators’ Experiences With Trauma And Grief After A Student’S Death, Lori G. Berryman

Education Doctorate Dissertations

This phenomenological study utilizes narrative inquiry to analyze four teachers’ perceptions of their lives, occupations, and institutional expectations following a student’s death. Through participant interviews and personal reflections, the researcher observes the effects of a student’s death through a Contemporary Trauma Theory framework. Through this lens, trauma-narratives are a powerful tool in helping those affected by loss reframe the events and understand them in a clearer context. Participants indicated that there is an increase of concern for the parents of the deceased, feelings of guilt and regret, and retraumatization due to the lasting presence of the deceased student. Perceptions of …

Boats For Papa, Reilly Reinhold

Diverse Families Bookshelf Lesson Plans and Activities

No abstract provided.

Self-Authorship And The Effects Of Reverse Culture Shock In Post-Study Abroad U.S. College Students: Strangers In Their Own Land, Tarianne G. Cotton

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Traditionally, in our globally diverse and intertwined society, study abroad has served as a valuable, enriching, and life-changing aspect of college and university offerings and opportunities for students. Today, the lives of post-study abroad students will be defined by the ways they make sense of unexpected major events surrounding the history-changing COVID-19 pandemic and the contemporary protests against racism and social injustice. A large body of research exists on study abroad, culture shock, self-authorship, provocative moments, cross-cultural reentry, and reverse culture shock. A lack of research exists on what ways post-study abroad U.S. students make meaning of their experiences in …

Death Anxiety: A Quantitative Exploration Of Professional Counselors Experiences, Kaitlyn Judith Kaus

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Anxiety is often a natural human response and feeling to the thought and awareness of death. Counselors in the field will likely work with clients who experience death, loss, grief, or bereavement (ACA, 2011). Counselors must be self-aware of the phenomenon of death anxiety as this may largely impact readiness to work with clients experiencing grief and to understand the effects on one’s own ideas, thoughts, and awareness of death (Castano et al., 2011; Veilleux, 2011). The significance of the study is that it informs theoretical understanding of death anxiety among practicing counselors and focusing on the importance of counseling …

The Impact Of Creative Arts On Meaning Reconstruction And Loss Adaptation In Widowed Adults, Dani Baker-Cole

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

In counseling, helping grieving clients find meaning after significant loss is a unique, multidimensional, and lengthy process. This is particularly true in Western societies, where antithetical linear grief models, supported by hegemonic expectations to move on after loss, add exhausting pressure to speed up an individual’s natural grieving process. For that reason, this study examined how creative arts interventions such as using traditional art media and expressive writing, combined with postmodern, nonlinear, culturally sensitive bereavement models, help individuals explore their loss narrative to make meaning and adapt to loss. Specifically, this study examined the impact of a switch from traditional …

Very Young Child Survivors Of Parent Suicide: Perspectives On Children's Literature For Bibliotherapy, Cortland L. Watson

Theses and Dissertations

The death of a parent by suicide is especially traumatic. Researchers estimate the number of children in the United States annually who experience their parent's suicide ranges from 7,000 to 30,000. These child survivors experience more complicated grief as compared to children bereaved by a parent's non-suicidal death. In particular, very young children have difficulty understanding that their parent completed suicide. Across time they struggle with confusion and intense emotions associated with their parent's suicide. Due to the stigma associated with suicide, feelings of guilt, and intense grief, surviving family members avoid talking about the suicide. Young children are often …

Together Yet Different: Youth Resilience Building Srtategies Post-Pandemic, Frank Kros

National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference

The social isolation, economic stress, resource barriers, and enduring uncertainties of the COVID-19 interventions created a “perfect storm” for youth anxiety, depression, grief and trauma. To meet these unprecedented needs, adults can step-up to this new normal by boosting their youth resilience building skills. This workshop will show you how with practical, effective and immediately applicable tools. Learn seven (7) new strategies to support youth through the grief process; effectively manage significant stress; recover from trauma and build her/his personal resilience.

How Do I Do This? How Universities Support Students Experiencing Grief, Jackie Hirn

Masters Theses

Grief prompts college students to ask, “how do I do this?” in many ways. This phenomenological study examined the ways in which student affairs professionals supported grieving students from four universities across the United States. It was found that grieving college students faced many challenges and barriers, including academic, emotional, financial and legal, and cultural issues. Grief is an individualized process that manifests differently in each student. To ensure student success, it was found that resource referral was vital for students, and that connections between departments were imperative to make those referrals happen. This study notes that the COVID-19 pandemic …

Let's Talk About Death: An Open Forum For Challenging And Changing Uri’S Response To Student Bereavement, Molly Beluk

Senior Honors Projects

When my father passed away in March 2020, I felt discord and inconsistency in how the faculty responded to my grief. This project is designed to understand how the University of Rhode Island currently supports students after they have experienced a death loss and determine ways we can improve student support moving forward. This project’s praxes include a faculty survey on current supports; study of other universities’ student bereavement policies; and facilitation of a forum with faculty, staff, and administrators. Students who experience a loss in their college years “are at risk for decreased academic performance and dropout” (DeSpelder and …

Angry Like Me, Catherine-Laura Dunnington, Shoshana Magnet

Occasional Paper Series

In this article we take on a challenging picture book, The Heart and the Bottle written and illustrated by Oliver Jeffers, and how one preschool boy’s response changed us. As part of a three-center initiative to discuss hard feelings and grief with preschool learners, we teamed with six preschool teachers to read and work through this text. We explore how both the preschoolers’ and the teachers’ responses challenged us to look at how the disjoint between pedagogy (literature that says we should teach these types of texts) and practice (how this classroom experience actually unfolds) leaves much room for continued …

The Impact Of Client Culture On Termination Of The Counseling Relationship, Colin F. Freeland

Georgia Educational Research Association Conference

Counseling is a process that evokes often evokes strong emotions in clients. When counseling is effective and rapport is established correctly, clients become attached to their counselors in deep and meaningful ways. The depth of attachment in this dynamic can lead to negative affect when approaching the termination stage of this relationship; these endings can also provide opportunities for clients to experience growth and transformation. Elements of grief can surface with the dissolution of relationships; further, cultural influences impact experiences of grieving and the continuation or finality of those bonds. Few studies have explored clients’ subjective experiences with the ending …

The Impact Of Perinatal Palliative Care Simulation On Undergraduate Nursing Students, Erin Anderson

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Nurses who have limited exposure to perinatal palliative care often avoid interactions with patients, limiting the quality of care provided. Undergraduate nursing students are often not afforded opportunities for experiencing perinatal palliative care during direct patient care clinicals. Simulation may provide an opportunity for students to have these experiences.

Methods: A review of the literature was conducted resulting in six articles addressing the evidence-based education question, do undergraduate nursing students report feeling more prepared to provided perinatal palliative care to patient and families after receiving didactic instruction along with simulation-based learning experiences, compared with nursing students who receive …

From Disconnection To Sentience: Creating Space For Practitioners Who Experience Student Death, Kevin L. Wright

The Vermont Connection

Student crises are a common issue within higher education. When a student comes to a college campus, it is the duty and responsibility of student affairs professionals to empower them and contribute to their holistic success. Unfortunately, some students fall through the cracks and the result can conclude with a student transferring to another institution, failing their classes, dropping out of college, or in a worst-case scenario, death. Working in higher education requires hard work and heart work. There is an emotional investment in the work that is produced by scholar-practitioners. When unfortunate situations occur that result in a student’s …

The Grieving Kangaroo Photograph Revisited, David Brooks

Animal Studies Journal

Early in 2016 a photograph circulated widely of a male kangaroo holding up a dying female in the presence of a joey. Although initially taken as a moving and powerful photograph of grief, ‘experts’ quickly determined that this male may have killed the female in the process of coition. The male was in effect accused and convicted of rape and murder. Was this judgement correct? Was the male innocent or guilty? What are the nature, strength and politics of the assumptions involved in this judgement? Might he be exonerated, and why should this matter? The photograph is read and contextualised. …

Homicidal Loss And Disenfranchised Grief, Mothers Of Murdered Descendants: An Exploratory Qualitative Study, Michael Wayne Eagle

Theses and Dissertations

Violent acts of homicide committed against youth or children can lead to prolonged, devastating, and painful effects on their surviving mothers. Sudden unexpected deaths of descendants can lead to anger, guilt, sorrow, and isolation affecting survivors both emotionally and physically. Descendants’ deaths before the mothers’ deaths are unnatural and can lead to a decline in a survivor’s social actions, a rise in hospitalization rates, higher cases of mortality, complicated grief, and symptoms of PTSD. Cases of disenfranchised grief can surface after a survivor’s loss is ignored or no longer culturally allowed. Instances of empathic failure can result when empathy from …