The National Archive of Grief Support Studies
The National Archive of Grief Support Studies(NAGSS) database provides bibliographical information and summaries of recent articles selected for their relevance to grief and bereavement service providers. The articles that are summarized are selected from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and are intended to highlight key concepts as well as provide a brief statement of implications for service providers. Bibliographical information may be used to obtain the original article.
African Americans in Bereavement: Grief as a Function of Ethnicity
Authors:
Laurie, Anna
Neimeyer, Robert A.
Source:
Omega: 2008. Volume 57, Issue 2, pp. 173-193.
Summary
This article describes a study designed to explore differences in the way African Americans experience grief compared to Caucasians. Over 1,500 undergraduate students attending the University of Memphis constituted the sample for this study. All participants in the study had experienced bereavement in the prior two years. The study found that the Caucasians experienced a higher incidence of losing a loved one to suicide or accident, while African Americans more frequently experienced the death of a loved one to homicide. African-American participants reported stronger continuing bonds with their deceased loved ones and reported greater distress over the death of an extended family member. African Americans and Caucasians did not show significant differences in terms of degree and severity of identity change following the death of a loved one. African Americans spent less time talking about their loss and sought the assistance of professional help less frequently than Caucasians. African Americans in this study reported experiencing more complicated grief symptoms than Caucasians.
Key words: African American, attachment, student, support
Service Provider Implications
Service providers should be aware that the death of an extended family member may be as significant as the death of an immediate family member to African Americans. Additionally, service providers should be aware that African Americans are less likely to seek professional help, and may need extra support in order to develop trust in professional helpers and the mental health system. Service providers should be aware of the need to be sensitive to the unique experiences of grief and bereavement in other cultures.
