Bereavement, methods of support, and help-seeking behaviours amongst UK and Ireland University Students.

Around one-third of university students encounter one of life’s most common, yet distressing experiences: the loss of a loved one (Balk, 2008) and this presents unique challenges owing to students’ geographical distance from familial support (Snider et al., 2007) and academic deadlines (Spiccia et al., 2023). Bereaved students are at increased risk for poor academic performance, educational engagement (Spiccia et al., 2023), withdrawal from university (Elsner et al., 2022), as well as the development of mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, and Prolonged Grief Disorder (Glickman, 2021). The UK Commission on Bereavement (2022) recommends that “All education establishments should be required to have a bereavement policy”, however, many bereaved students discover that the support infrastructure provided by universities is lacking (Cupit et al., 2022), and UK bereaved university students represent a neglected population with respect to research, practice, and policy (Valentine & Woodthorpe, 2020). Thus, in order to meet the needs of UK and Ireland bereaved university students, the first step is to conduct research to better understand this population. Examining bereavement levels, its impact on studies, mental health, and help-seeking behaviours, will help inform policies and practice aimed at supporting students who are experiencing bereavement-related distress. This project aims to make a significant contribution to the existing knowledge base through: (1) Conducting systematic review of the accessibility and availability of bereavement-related support within all UK and Ireland Universities (2) Conducting a self-report-based survey of bereavement experiences among students at Ulster University; in order to (a) calculate accurate rates of bereavement and related grief- rates will also be stratified by demographic, academic, and loss-related variables, (b) understand the role of bereavement in explaining grief-related distress, academic and social outcomes, as well as disruptions to university life, and (c) gain a comprehensive understanding of help-seeking behaviours by students affected by bereavement (3) Conducting qualitative focus groups/interviews with staff who support bereaved students, and bereaved students themselves to gain insight into the lived experiences of those impacted by bereavement at university & (4) Developing an evidence-based executive document outlining the key findings of the project and providing recommendations for how to improve the experience of bereaved students going forward.