ERIC Number: EJ1469999
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0897-5264
EISSN: EISSN-1543-3382
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Creating Space for Grief: Development of Evidence-Informed Bereavement Support Program for Post-Secondary Students
Amanda Cox; Sarah L. Boyle; Elissa Newby-Clark; Margaret N. Lumley
Journal of College Student Development, v66 n2 p209-222 2025
Sixty percent of students experience the death of a close person at some point in their post-secondary studies. This life stage is characterized by cognitive, academic, social, physical, emotional, and identity-related stressors which together may also intensify grief. Importantly, post-secondary students' unique needs may not be addressed by community grief supports focused on serving children, youth, and families/caregivers; most are faced with limited grief-specific supports available on campus. This leaves many post-secondary students to navigate the challenges of their grief alone. A stakeholder informed bereavement support group entitled "Creating Space for Grief (CSG)" was developed at a mid-sized Canadian university. Grounded in the specific developmental needs of post-secondary students, the group content emphasizes evidence-based therapeutic support, peer connectedness, and sense of belonging among bereaved students. This article describes the development, content, and implementation of CSG, with aims to inform similar initiatives to support the needs of bereaved students across other campuses.
Descriptors: Death, Grief, College Students, Coping, Social Support Groups, Group Counseling, Peer Relationship, Sense of Belonging, Foreign Countries, Health Education, Psychological Patterns, Metacognition, Altruism, Religion
Johns Hopkins University Press. 2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218. Tel: 800-548-1784; Tel: 410-516-6987; Fax: 410-516-6968; e-mail: jlorder@jhupress.jhu.edu; Web site: https://www.press.jhu.edu/journals/list
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A