Ethnicity and demographic factors as predictors of prolonged grief during COVID-19

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged bereaved families and friends in the rituals, final goodbyes, and support available during their time of loss. Research indicates that these practices are beneficial in the process of grief. The majority of people are resilient and adjust to the loss of a loved one. However, some will experience grief that does not abate with time. Prolonged grief disorder (PGD), recently approved for inclusion in the DSM-5-TR, is intense grief that can become distressing and disabling. Though limited, available studies posit that African Americans experience more prolonged grief than White Americans. This study used the PG-13-R scale to assess symptoms of prolonged grief between African Americans and White Americans (n = 206). This study also analyzed differences in prolonged grief symptoms between gender and age groups. Results of this study indicated no statistically significant difference between prolonged grief disorder scores for African Americans (M = 23.46, SD = 10.21) and White Americans (M = 24.80, SD = 9.09). There was a significant difference between females (M = 26.29, SD = 10.16), and males (M = 22.08, SD = 8.67), and between age groups. Specifically, the 18-35 group (M = 28.76, SD = 10.44) had significantly more prolonged grief than both the 36-64 group (M = 23.35, SD = 9.30) and the 65+ group (M = 20.26, SD = 7.13). (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)