Mourning Alone and the Explanation of Social Support after Traumatic Loss During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study Abstract

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Counseling, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Counseling. Faculty of Education and Psychology. University of Isfahan. Isfahan. Iran.

3 Department of counselling, Faculty of Education and Psychology, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

The present study aimed to elucidate the experience of social support in the a​ftermath of a traumatic loss, during which the bereavement ceremony was prohibited. The study was conducted using a research method that combined social constructivism and grounded theory. Participants included all Iranian youth (over 18) in 2022 who experienced a traumatic loss and encountered restrictions in organizing memorials during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 32 individuals, who were selected through purposeful and theoretical sampling. Charmez’s three-step coding method was implemented to analyze the data. The data was analyzed to extract four primary themes: the challenge in seeking social support, ways of seeking social support, alternative methods of social support, and the most effective social support along with 9 sub-categories. Additionally, nine subcategories were identified. The results indicate that the process of grief was further complicated by the communication limitations during emergencies. However, the redefinition of social support in such situations has the potential to develop novel coping methods for traumatized mourners. Therefore, it is advised that the results of this study be applied to the development of intervention protocols to expedite the bereavement process in the aftermath of such losses in emergency situations.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Applied Psychological Research
Volume 15, Issue 3
November 2024
Pages 229-248

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History

  • Receive Date: 14 June 2022
  • Revise Date: 25 July 2022
  • Accept Date: 15 August 2022
  • First Publish Date: 31 July 2024
  • Publish Date: 20 October 2024

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