Welcome

Here you can read about the research project: How I experience the grief: A study of grief processes.

Background

Every year, thousands of Danes lose a close relative due to death. Today, the understanding of the subsequent grief is often based on the two-process model. The model describes grief as a dynamic process in which the bereaved switches between loss-oriented and re-establishing processes. The fact that the person switches between the two processes means that there is a kind of built-in dosing of the grief - i.e. a way of confronting grief so that it is bearable. The two-process model is a recognized grief understanding model, but there is a lack of studies showing that the model captures the grief process as it is actually experienced by bereaved. We want to investigate this in this research project.

The aim of the project

The project consists of two initiatives.

1. The first is to establish a working group, consisting of adult bereaved, clinicians and researchers. The aim of the group is that together they will develop a survey that can be used as a method to examine grief processes in adults as they are experienced here and now. This initiative will take place in the spring of 2022, and we are in the process of recruiting for the working group.
2. In the second initiative, we use the method developed in the first initiative to examine how grief processes are experienced by beraved and whether the two-process model captures their experience. We expect to recruit approx. 50 bereaved adults for the survey. This initiative will take place from the fall of 2022 to the end of the year 2024.

Where can I read more about the results of the research project?

The findings of the project are expected to be published continuously, starting in mid-2023. Once the scientific publications are completed and released, you will be able to find links to the publications here on the Unit for Grief Research's website.