University of Twente Student Theses
Exploring the Social Support Needs of Dutch Bereaved Individuals: a Qualitative Study
Bakkers, J.T. (2023) Exploring the Social Support Needs of Dutch Bereaved Individuals: a Qualitative Study.
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| Abstract: | Introduction: Nine out of ten bereaved individuals that are going through a non-pathological grieving process have a need for social support to cope with their loss. However, research indicates that many bereaved individuals do not receive sufficient social support, and many are not satisfied with the social support they do receive. Therefore, the aim of this study was to gain insight into the social support needs of Dutch bereaved individuals with non-pathological grief. Two topics in particular have been investigated, namely (a) the relative importance of different types of social support needs and (b) why these social support needs are important to bereaved individuals. Methods: 10 semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants who recently lost a loved one and scored below thresholds for clinical levels of possible prolonged grief disorder. During the interviews, participants engaged in a card-sorting task, where they were presented with six types of social support needs identified by Bottomley and Smigelsky (2022). They were then asked to rank these needs from highest to lowest importance and subsequently provide explanations for their rankings. Results: The findings highlight the importance of emotional, pragmatic, and informational support for bereaved individuals that go through a non-pathological grieving process. Various themes were derived from the thematic analysis of the interview transcripts. The most common themes that emerged regarding emotional support, were benefits and characteristics of the listener. The most common themes that emerged regarding pragmatic support, were benefits and impact of loss. The most common themes that emerged regarding pragmatic support, were benefits and types of information and advice. Discussion: Emotional, pragmatic and informational support have the potential to fulfill essential needs of bereaved individuals, such as connection, recognition, peace, self-understanding, guidance, validation, and normalization. However, this study also sheds light on the obstacles faced by bereaved individuals in receiving adequate social support. Some find their needs unacknowledged by loved ones, while others struggle to ask for support. Actively removing these obstacles and at the same time addressing the needs that are identified in this study, may lead to more satisfying social support experiences for bereaved individuals. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Programme: | Psychology MSc (66604) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/97836 |
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