Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-19DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2705385
Mónica Cassaretto, Henry Guillen, Tesania Velázquez
{"title":"Factors influencing grief in college students: A structural equation modeling analysis.","authors":"Mónica Cassaretto, Henry Guillen, Tesania Velázquez","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2705385","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2705385","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate factors influencing past and present grief among 2,167 Peruvian undergraduate students after the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic's impact on student mental health is documented, this research addresses a gap by analyzing the interplay among sociodemographic variables, contextual factors (death and non-death losses), and psychological mechanisms, specifically grief-related irrational beliefs and coping strategies. Results indicated that grief-related distress was elevated among women and students who had experienced caregiver loss, COVID-19 infection, or financial/academic setbacks. Grief correlated directly with irrational beliefs and coping strategies such as cognitive reappraisal and emotional overload, whereas support seeking showed an inverse correlation on grief. The structural model demonstrated adequate fit (CFI = 0.962; TLI = 0.964; RMSEA = 0.061; SRMR = 0.071), supporting the hypothesized relationships among variables. These pandemic losses and psychological mechanisms determine grief intensity, underscoring the vital need for specific grief support programs.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-15"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148789251","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-18DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2716615
Elisa Copelo-Cristóbal, Mireya Cárdenas-Román, Andrés Muñoz-Najar, Matías E Rodríguez-Rivas
{"title":"Empathy and suicide-related stigma among emerging adults: A structural equation modeling study.","authors":"Elisa Copelo-Cristóbal, Mireya Cárdenas-Román, Andrés Muñoz-Najar, Matías E Rodríguez-Rivas","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716615","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2716615","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Suicide-related stigma may hinder help-seeking and timely mental health support among emerging adults aged 18-29 years. Although empathy may be protective, evidence on its association with suicide-related attitudes remains limited. This cross-sectional study examined associations between empathy and the three subscales of the Stigma of Suicide Scale-Short Form among 1,003 Peruvian university students (Mage = 20.47, SD = 1.97; 51.4% men). Participants completed the Cognitive and Affective Empathy Test and the Stigma of Suicide Scale-Short Form. Structural equation modeling with WLSMV showed that higher empathy was associated with lower stigma (β = -.367), isolation/depression beliefs (β = -.297), and glorification/normalization beliefs (β = -.195; all <i>p</i> < .001). Associations remained significant after adjustment for age, sex, and religious practice, and structural invariance was supported across sex. Findings suggest that empathy may be a relevant correlate of less stigmatizing and stereotyped suicide-related attitudes among Peruvian emerging adults.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148789325","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-17DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2716633
Mayis Eissa, Samah Shbeta
{"title":"Living in the shadows: Sudden maternal loss in childhood and the lifelong negotiation of identity and belonging among Arab-Muslim adults in Israel.","authors":"Mayis Eissa, Samah Shbeta","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716633","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2716633","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Through a constructivist qualitative design and semi-structured, in-depth interviews with 11 adults, this study examines how Arab-Muslims retrospectively make sense of childhood maternal loss and how it continues to shape them in adulthood. Analysis identified two interrelated themes: participants experienced sudden maternal death as a biographical rupture dividing life into a \"before\" and \"after,\" and they sustained ongoing bonds with their deceased mothers, neither fully absent nor present, through everyday relational practices. These themes suggest that participants move from rupture toward relational continuity, reconstructing access to maternal presence over time. Highlighting the evolving meanings of childhood maternal loss, the study challenges detachment-oriented and stage-based grief models; contributes to qualitative social work scholarship, showing how sudden loss, cultural context, and relational continuity intersect in shaping identity and belonging; and informs culturally responsive bereavement support.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-14"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148758311","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-17DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2716661
Geoffrey Gauvin, Clémence Jacquet, Holly G Prigerson
{"title":"Validation of a french assessment of prolonged grief (PG-13-R): Age-by-gender differences in prolonged grief symptoms.","authors":"Geoffrey Gauvin, Clémence Jacquet, Holly G Prigerson","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716661","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2716661","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is a persistent form of grief associated with substantial functional impairment. The PG-13-Revised (PG-13-R), aligned with DSM-5-TR criteria, has not been validated in French. This study evaluated its psychometric properties in bereaved adults (<i>N</i> = 1,066; ≥12 months post-loss; 30-day retest <i>n</i> = 270). Following translation, the PG-13-R demonstrated a unidimensional structure, excellent internal consistency (<i>ω</i>=.92), strong test-retest reliability (<i>ρ</i>=.815, <i>p</i><.001), and expected associations with symptoms of pathological grief (TGI-SR), post-traumatic stress (PCL-5), depression (PHQ-9), distress (K6), and suicidality (SIDAS; <i>ρ=</i>.42-.84). Metric and scalar invariance were supported across gender, age, and circumstances of death, allowing comparisons of PGD symptoms across demographic groups. A significant age × gender interaction (<i>p</i>=.005) indicated heightened PGD symptoms among older women. The French PG-13-R is a valid and reliable instrument for screening and monitoring PGD symptoms. Findings highlight the need for targeted screening and tailored interventions, particularly among older bereaved women, an at-risk subgroup.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148789320","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-15DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2716625
Meiko Makita, Glenys Caswell, Amalia Mas-Bleda
{"title":"Digital mourning: Revisiting COVID-era #funeral discourse on Twitter.","authors":"Meiko Makita, Glenys Caswell, Amalia Mas-Bleda","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716625","DOIUrl":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716625","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The COVID-19 pandemic substantially disrupted funeral practices across the world, as public health restrictions limited gatherings and altered how funerals and mourning practices could take place. This study serves as a retrospective account of funeral-related discourse on Twitter, now X, during the first year of the pandemic. We conducted a mixed-methods content analysis of a random sample of 900 English-language posts containing the hashtag #funeral, drawn from a larger corpus of COVID-19-related tweets posted between February 2020 and January 2021. The analysis examined public expressions of grief, ritual disruption, adaptation, the role of funeral service professionals and related concerns during a period of widespread crisis. At the interpretive level, four overlapping discourses were identified across the thematic findings: disrupted rituals and mourning at a distance; visibility, unequal recognition and politicized mourning; funeral economies and unequal mourning; and professional care and ritual continuity under restriction. Rather than signaling a complete transformation of mourning, the findings show how established practices were publicly reconfigured through Twitter, altering how funeral-related experiences were made visible, circulated and contested during the pandemic.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148758856","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-13DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2716644
Ronit D Leichtentritt, Ruth Henig Barki, Yael Lavy
{"title":"Siblings' encounters with a subsequent child after sibling loss.","authors":"Ronit D Leichtentritt, Ruth Henig Barki, Yael Lavy","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716644","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2716644","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study presents a qualitative analysis of 16 interviews with Israeli siblings who experienced the loss of a sibling followed by the addition of a new child to the family. The study explores how bereaved siblings encounter and make sense of the subsequent child within the family context. Using thematic analysis, four key themes emerged: (a) resentment toward parents' decision to have another child; (b) the absence of an appropriate term to define the subsequent child's role; (c) the development of semi-parental relationships with the subsequent sibling(s); and (d) a \"misery scale,\" reflecting perceptions of legitimate mourners. Participants' encounters with the subsequent child encompassed both relational and sociocultural dimensions. These findings highlight the need for clinicians to recognize the complex positioning of subsequent children and to address issues of boundary-making, legitimacy of grief, and intra-familial hierarchies. Attending to bereaved siblings' experiences may support more inclusive and attuned family interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148758200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-12DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2716699
Monika Srivastava, Anindita Ghosh
{"title":"Facing death on duty: A latent profile analysis of nurses' death anxiety.","authors":"Monika Srivastava, Anindita Ghosh","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716699","DOIUrl":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2716699","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Nurses are routinely exposed to critically and terminally ill patients, resulting in frequent encounters with death. Despite this, few studies have examined the distribution of death anxiety within the nursing workforce. This study aims to assess and validate levels of death anxiety among Indian nurses. A cross-sectional study was conducted on nurses employed in public and private hospitals, with a final sample size of 1360 participants. Measures included death anxiety, mental health indicators, and socio-demographic characteristics. Latent profile analysis of death anxiety and mental health scores revealed five distinct profiles: subdued mortality preoccupation, death serenity, existential disquiet, high mortality preoccupation, and balanced resilience. These profiles showed that nurses of older age, with greater professional experience, and those employed in private hospitals exhibited lower levels of death anxiety. The findings emphasize the need for institutional policies and training programs to strengthen resilience and promote mental health of nurses.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-10"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148727744","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-08-06DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2704586
Aida Dehkhoda, Jessica Young, Gary Cheung, Kate Diesfeld, Jeanne Snelling, Kate Reid, Tess Moeke-Maxwell, Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll, Ben White
{"title":"Grieving Assisted Dying: A Synthesised Grief Framework.","authors":"Aida Dehkhoda, Jessica Young, Gary Cheung, Kate Diesfeld, Jeanne Snelling, Kate Reid, Tess Moeke-Maxwell, Annabel Ahuriri-Driscoll, Ben White","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2704586","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2704586","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The recent legalization of assisted dying (AD) in New Zealand has reshaped experiences of dying and grief, yet AD-related grief remains under-theorised. Guided by the questions of whether particular forms of grief are more prominent at different stages of the AD process, and how these manifestations can inform a grief framework tailored to AD, this qualitative study explores and explains how grief theories apply to AD. Using appreciative inquiry, we interviewed 46 individuals eligible or ineligible for AD and family members. Inductive-deductive thematic analysis identified a distinct AD grief trajectory shaped by anticipatory and preparatory processes. Advocacy work and legacy work emerged as central practices supporting readiness, meaning-making, and continuing bonds, while stigma at times complicated coping and social expression of grief. The resulting framework also explains how loss- and restoration-oriented processes unfold within the intentional and socially embedded context of AD, offering guidance for clinicians, researchers, and policymakers.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-08-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148683588","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-07-30DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2704574
Elaf Agha, Clara Miller, Kimberly Downing, Kristin James, Amy McNicholas, Steve Newton, Sara-Jae Wershil, Kelly N Michelson
{"title":"Feedback on a bereavement referral program after coroner referral following a child's unexpected death.","authors":"Elaf Agha, Clara Miller, Kimberly Downing, Kristin James, Amy McNicholas, Steve Newton, Sara-Jae Wershil, Kelly N Michelson","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2704574","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2704574","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In this qualitative study, we investigate the perceptions and impact of a Bereavement Referral Program (BRP) developed to address the needs of parents impacted by unexpected pediatric death. The BRP starts when a coroner connects parents to a grief navigator (GN) who helps parents find bereavement and social support resources. This work aims to understand the efficacy of the BRP from parents' perspectives using semi-structured qualitative interviews to assess the program's strengths and weaknesses and solicit suggestions for improvement. Results showed that parents valued interactions with the GNs, and felt the program offered an opportunity for support. Areas of improvement relate to when parents are connected to GNs, and additional resources GNs could share with parents. This work contributes to knowledge about how to support parents after unexpected pediatric death by showing the value of the BRP and informing improvements to the intervention that can be applied to other communities.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-13"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148629805","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Death StudiesPub Date : 2026-07-29DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2026.2705398
Mina Jyung, Xyle Ku, Incheol Choi
{"title":"Authenticity as a pathway to neutral acceptance of death.","authors":"Mina Jyung, Xyle Ku, Incheol Choi","doi":"10.1080/07481187.2026.2705398","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2026.2705398","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Neutral acceptance, the view that death is an integral part of life, is distinct from the mere absence of death anxiety, yet its psychological antecedents remain poorly understood. Drawing on an existential perspective, we propose that authenticity fosters neutral acceptance by alleviating existential guilt over a life not fully lived. Across three studies, we found converging evidence for this proposition. Study 1 (<i>N</i> = 489) documented a cross-sectional association between authenticity and neutral acceptance, controlling for demographic covariates. Using a two-wave longitudinal design, Study 2 (<i>N</i> = 252) showed that authenticity prospectively predicted neutral acceptance, but not vice versa. Study 3 (<i>N</i> = 296) provided experimental evidence consistent with a positive indirect effect of an authenticity induction on neutral acceptance through state authenticity. Ultimately, a life fully owned may be easier to relinquish with neutrality.</p>","PeriodicalId":11041,"journal":{"name":"Death Studies","volume":" ","pages":"1-8"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2026-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148599900","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}