Bereavement During and Not During the Pandemic in Terms of Complicated Grief and Social Support.

This study investigates differences in complicated grief (CG) and perceived social support between individuals who lost loved ones during versus before the COVID-19 pandemic. Surveying 580 bereaved adults in the United States, the research found that those bereaved during the pandemic experienced significantly higher levels of complicated grief and more restrictions interfering with their grief process, regardless of the cause of death. However, perceived social support did not differ between the two groups, suggesting that bereaved individuals may have adapted their support networks despite pandemic constraints. Additionally, violent deaths (suicide, accident, homicide) were associated with higher complicated grief than deaths due to illness, while COVID-19 deaths did not differ significantly from other causes. The study highlights the impact of pandemic-related restrictions on grief experiences and underscores the need for tailored support for bereaved individuals during widespread crises.