The association between continuing bonds and indicators of mental health and coping in bereaved university students

Many students can be bereaved by the death of a loved one. This study aimed to examine how bereaved students experienced the continuing bond to the deceased (i.e., burdensome, neutral, or supportive) and its association to grief, psychological well-being, social support, coping and stigma. A total of 325 participants filed out a series of standardized instruments (AGI, DASS-21, MSPSS, Brief-COPE, GEQ) and questions designed for the study. Findings from MANCOVA analysis revealed important group differences. Those experiencing a burdensome continuing bond scored higher on grief, maladaptive coping, and stigma compared to those reporting a neutral or supportive continuing bond. There were no group differences regarding psychological well-being and social support. This study contributes to the limited research about the different experiences of continuing bonds and may inform support offered to bereaved students.