Grief Responses During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study in Spain

Abstract Introduction: The recent COVID-19 pandemic led to a rise in the number of people bereaved by the death of a loved one. There are many pandemic-related stressors that may have further complicated grief in these people. The aim of this research was to analyse the shared experiences and strategies of those who lost a loved one during the pandemic. Method: The sample consists of 42 participants who lost loved ones to COVID-19 or other causes (both natural and sudden). An inductive approach using grounded theory with open, axial and selective coding was used to analyse the semi-structured open-ended interviews. Results: The resulting theory was structured around a central category: “Processes of Loss and Grief in Pandemics". The other relevant and related categories were: disease processes during the pandemic, emotional responses to the loss, factors facilitating the grieving process and obstacles to the grieving process. The various analytical categories were then further classified with reference to the Dual Process Model. Conclusion: This study highlights the main features of grief during the pandemic, including the impact of restrictive measures on disease processes, the funeral rituals performed and subsequent coping; responses such as intense shock, anger, fear or loneliness; and the way in which facilitating factors of the grief process were adapted to the circumstances.