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Supporting bereaved students in higher education: student perspectives

Access Status
Open access
Authors
Spiccia, Chantal N.
Howell, Jennifer
Arnold, C.
Hay, Ashton
Breen, Lauren
Date
2022
Type
Journal Article

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Citation
Spiccia, C.N. and Howell, J.A. and Arnold, C. and Hay, A. and Breen, L.J. 2022. Supporting bereaved students in higher education: student perspectives. British Journal of Guidance and Counselling.
Source Title
British Journal of Guidance and Counselling
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Faculty
Faculty of Health Sciences
School
Learning Innovation and Teaching Excellence Centre
Curtin School of Population Health
Remarks

This is an accepted manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in British Journal of Guidance & Counselling on 25 Feb 2022 available online at http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/03069885.2022.2028721

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Abstract

Bereavement is a universal experience common within the higher education student population. The present study aimed to understand the experiences and support needs of bereaved Australian university students. In semi-structured interviews, 12 students (10 women, 2 men; M age= 38.13, SD = 15.37) shared their experiences of bereavement while studying. A thematic analysis resulted in three themes: Relationships between study and bereavement, Navigating the university system, and What students need. The findings highlighted varying levels of support accessed and level of need, which were influenced by the circumstances of the student and the loss, mode of study, personal resources, and perceptions of the university system’s ability to help. The findings highlight the need to develop and communicate clear policies and procedures so that bereaved students are supported.