Parental Bereavement as a Form of Trauma in College Students: Personal Contexts and an Institution’s Role in Healing

Abstract

This qualitative study aims to understand how college students navigate parental loss and how institutions are helpful or harmful during the healing process. Utilizing a constructivist case study approach, data were collected from three participants through semi-structured interviews, document analysis of participant-generated artifacts, and institutional website reviews. Each participant identified multiple contexts impacting the loss of their parent. Findings revealed that the experience of parental bereavement is unique and complex, marked by identity concerns, challenges in healing, and the lasting impact of the parent-child relationship. Students also reported difficulties with non-linear experiences and memory issues following loss, suggesting the need for a nuanced understanding of the ecological context. Practice recommendations include implementing clear referral processes for bereaved students, creating comprehensive resource lists, providing ongoing support, establishing formal bereavement leave policies, and fostering trauma-informed practices among institutional actors. Future research could explore institutional readiness to support grieving students and expand investigations of parental loss to encompass diverse parental figures and cultural backgrounds. A lack of racial diversity and geographic concentration within the southeastern United States limits the study.