The Club No One Wants to Join: Human Universal Experiences of Loss and Grief

At one time or another, all humans experience loss and subsequently grieve those losses. The emotions, behaviors, and expression of this grief often emerge in varying ways (Schut & Stroebe, 2010). Nonetheless, these experiences are universal. In an everchanging and divergent society, it is important to highlight commonalities among humans through research that is positive and strengths-based. Our methodology includes analyses’ of two sets of undergraduate students’ autobiographies (N = 80). In upper-division courses, students were asked to share important developmental experiences and events in their life to date. These experiences are analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. For example, we record the number of times loss or grief is mentioned and through thematic content analysis, we search for common themes among students’ lived experiences of loss and grief. Additionally, direct quotes from the select papers will be showcased. This research is in its secondary stage and has been approved by the IRB. The findings from our research can provide helpful insight to educators, researchers, and general audiences about the universality of loss and grief among humans regardless of perceived differences. Schut, H., & Stroebe, M. (2010). The Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement: A decade later. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying, 61(4), 269–271. https://doi.org/10.2190/om.61.4.a