Prolonged Grief Disorder and Its Relationship With Perceived Social Support and Depression Among University Students

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine the association between prolonged grief disorder, perceived social support, and severity of depression among Saudi Arabian university students after the death of a significant individual. A cross-sectional design was used to examine descriptive characteristics, correlational relationships, and statistical mean differences between male and female participants on prolonged grief disorder (PGD) scores in a convenience sample of Saudi Arabian college students. The Prolonged Grief Disorder-13 tool, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the revised Beck Depression Inventory^® were completed by 226 Saudi Arabian undergraduate students. Students reported moderate perceived social support from family, friends, and significant others. Only 13 (5.8%) individuals reported perceived support from academic staff. Students with the highest PGD scores were the least well-supported and most depressed. The need for academic staff and social workers to provide more social support to grieving students is discussed. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 57(2), 44-51.].