The Experiences of Virtual Support for Grief and Bereavement
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6192035 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Andrea Crowley (0009-0003-1731-4997, Wilfrid Laurier University, corresponding author), Michael Kirst (0000-0002-2662-8475, Wilfrid Laurier University), Maritt Kirst |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 255-270 |
| Publication date | 2025-02-20 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Illness Crisis & Loss (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1054-1373 • E-ISSN: 1552-6968 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1177/10541373251321155 |
| OpenAlex | W4407793906 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 27 |
The COVID-19 pandemic forced many mental health service providers to switch to virtual methods of service provision. Grief and bereavement supports are no exception, with both peer and professional supports being offered online. A goal of this study was to examine grievers experiences with online peer or professional support. Grounded in social support theory, this research implemented a qualitative design involving semistructured interviews with 25 participants who received professional and/or peer grief support in Midwestern Ontario, Canada. Ten participants received professional support, seven received peer support, eight received both support types, and all experienced virtual support. Analysis methods included a hybrid of inductive and deductive thematic analysis. Participants highlighted advantages and disadvantages of virtual support, including advantages of support at home and disadvantages of no in-person environment to facilitate bonding. Implications for this project include informing the social support sector of strengths and limitations within virtual support services for grief
Grief · Psychotherapist · Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health · Health and Wellbeing Research · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · Psychology
Clarifying the social support theory‐research linkage
Grief Therapy and the Reconstruction of Meaning
What sources of bereavement support are perceived helpful by bereaved people and why? Empirical evidence for the compassionate communities approach
Informal and Formal Social Support and Caregiver Burden
Complicated Grief
Sensitive Interviewing in Qualitative Research
Covid-19 and Disenfranchised Grief
Evidence- and practice-informed approach to implementing peer grief support after suicide systematically in the USA
Sample sizes for saturation in qualitative research
Sampling in Interview-Based Qualitative Research
The experience of participating in bereavement research
Public Attitudes About Normal and Pathological Grief
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Is Online Peer Support Helpful in Widowhood? The Lived Experiences of Young Parents
Fighting for Connection
Demonstrating Rigor Using Thematic Analysis
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |