Psychological Distress among Japanese University Students after Parental Bereavement

Although parental bereavement during childhood or adolescence increases the risk of depression, few studies focus on young adult Japanese who have lost a parent. This study investigates the risk of psychological distress among Japanese young adults who experienced parental bereavement during childhood or adolescence (bereavement group), comparing their mental health with non-bereaved students (control group). A questionnaire survey was performed on 6385 students at A University, following the Japanese version of Kessler 6 (K6) to assess psychological distress. In total, 1508 students (42 in the bereavement group, 1185 in the control group) provided responses to the questionnaires, 1227 were analyzed, excluding those who did not respond the bereavement question. As a result, no statistically significant differences in the levels of psychological distress were observed between the bereavement and control groups. However, it can be confirmed that some factors influencing the total score of K6. Higher psychological distress in the bereavement group was significantly associated with medical faculty affiliation (β = 4.416, p = 0.050) and low caregiver income (β = 4.491, p = 0.042). Elevated distress levels in the control group were linked to non-medical faculty affiliation (β = -1.579, p < 0.001) and a history of psychiatric disorders (β = 7.094, p < 0.001). These findings emphasize the need for tailored psychological support targeting specific groups. Further research is required to validate the relationship between parental bereavement and mental health, and it is noteworthy that economic and psychological support is crucial for university students who have experienced parental bereavement.