Well-Being and Academic Experiences in Bereaved University Students

Universities and researchers are increasingly interested in understanding and promoting the well-being of students. Bereaved students, in particular, face challenges related to grieving while studying, which can decrease their overall well-being. We conducted an online, cross-sectional survey design to investigate academic changes and support experiences post-bereavement and the influence of post-bereavement academic experiences on well-being and grades. A sample of 130 bereaved Australian university students participated. Nearly half of bereaved students indicated that their academic experiences were worse following bereavement and 30.4% had potential prolonged grief. Closeness to the deceased was a key indicator of increased grief severity and worsened post-bereavement academic experiences. As grief severity increased, student well-being decreased, and this relationship was strengthened when academic experiences worsened and when university connectedness was rated as higher. These findings suggest universities should include grief-specific resources to foster well-being in grieving students, as generic well-being supports are likely to be inadequate.