open access publication

Article, 2024

Perceived social support and symptoms of prolonged grief after a drug-related death

Death Studies, ISSN 1091-7683, 0748-1187, Volume ahead-of-print, ahead-of-print, Pages 1-10, 10.1080/07481187.2024.2376037

Contributors

Reime, Monika Alvestad 0000-0003-0938-7662 (Corresponding author) [1] O’Connor, Maja [2] Hystad, Sigurd William 0000-0002-7245-9828 [3] Dyregrov, Kari Madeleine 0000-0002-6511-5410 [1]

Affiliations

  1. [1] Western Norway University of Applied Sciences
    2. [NORA names: Norway; Europe, Non-EU; Nordic; OECD];
  2. [2] Aarhus University
    3. [NORA names: AU Aarhus University; University; Denmark; Europe, EU; Nordic; OECD];
  3. [3] University of Bergen
    4. [NORA names: Norway; Europe, Non-EU; Nordic; OECD]

Abstract

Social network support can be important when adjusting to life after the death of a close family member or friend. However, research has yielded inconclusive results regarding the relationship between social support and complicated grief reactions. Persons bereaved after a drug-related death (DRD) are a group of people who are at high risk of developing bereavement complications. Based on a Norwegian study on DRD bereaved close family members and friends (n = 250), this study examines the association between perceived social support, societal stigma, own social withdrawal, and prolonged grief symptoms (PGS). Own social withdrawal predicts the most variance in PGS symptoms: 8%, perceived social support: 3%, and societal stigma: 1%. Together the three focal variables explain 17.5% of variations in PGS. Results from the study point to the importance of social network support, which could reduce bereavement complications after a DRD.

Keywords

Norwegian study, association, bereavement complications, close family members, complicated grief reactions, complications, death, drug-related deaths, family, family members, focal variables, friends, grief, grief reactions, grief symptoms, group, group of people, life, members, network support, people, perceived social support, persons, point, prolonged grief, prolonged grief symptoms, reaction, relationship, research, results, risk, social network support, social support, social withdrawal, societal stigma, stigma, study, study point, support, symptoms, symptoms of prolonged grief, variables, variance, variation, withdrawal

Funders

  • The Research Council of Norway

Data Provider: Digital Science

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