Evaluating the Effect of Participation in Bereavement Support Groups on Perceived Mental Well-Being and Grief Reactions

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of participating in bereavement support groups on mental well-being and levels of grief and to gather information about participants ́ experiences of participation. The programme consisted of six sessions over six weeks. Data were collected with the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS) and the Adult Attitude to Grief scale (AAG) as well as demographic and open-ended questions. 64 bereaved spouses returned at least parts of the study ́s questionnaires before participating in the programme while 39 returned the complete WEMWBS and 36 the complete AAG both before and after participation. Most participants were women >60 years old. Participation in the programme resulted in a significant increase in perceived mental well-being and significantly lower levels of vulnerability in grief. Responses to open-ended questions revealed both positive and negative experiences. A lowered WEMWBS score and a relatively high AAG underscore the importance of providing services to the recently bereaved. Routine screening for complicated grief before participating in the bereavement support group sessions is recommended

Complicated grief · Grief · Mental health · Psychiatry · Scale (ratio · Vulnerability (computing · Clinical Psychology · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum · Migration, Health and Trauma · Psychology

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