Association between Grief and Somatic Complaints in Bereaved University and College Students

Abstract

Many emerging adults experience the death of a loved one while they are enrolled as a student in higher education. Bereavement increases the risk of long-term adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Still, as most studies have focused on psychological aspects of grief, little is known about the impact of grief on somatic complaints in students, leaving them vulnerable to health deteriorations. This study aimed to address this gap, and we hypothesized that there is a positive association between grief and somatic complaints in bereaved students. Participants (N = 688) were students enrolled at Flemish universities and colleges in Belgium. Participants filled out an online survey with sociodemographic questions, two scales assessing grief, and somatic grief reactions, and two additional questions inquiring whether participants had experienced other somatic reactions, and whether they had taken any steps to remedy their somatic complaints. Regression analyses revealed that less social support, type of relationship (first-degree relative), and the level of grief were positively associated with somatic complaints, and bereaved students reported various complaints such as feeling pain and strains, thus confirming the hypothesis. As bereaved students may be reluctant to seek support for somatic complaints, the findings indicate that information and psychoeducation for bereaved students and their social environment must address somatic grief reactions and encourage timely help seeking. In addition, staff members at psychosocial and medical services for students should be trained to recognize somatic as well as psychological grief reactions. Appropriately skilled, they can inquire about such complaints and provide adequate support to prevent long-term health ramifications.