Abstract
Grandparental loss might be an emotionally challenging experience in cultures where intergenerational connectedness and family harmony are highly valued. Given the developmental changes college students go through, grandparental loss might impose unique challenges in non-Western contexts, where grandparents are usually regarded as part of the nuclear family. Nevertheless, prior studies on this topic have been limited to the Western context. The current study aimed to examine the impact of grandparental loss on Turkish college students from a developmental and cultural perspective. Accordingly, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven bereaved college students. The obtained data were analyzed through interpretative phenomenological analysis because of the context-dependent and relational nature of the bereavement experience. Five super-ordinate themes emerged: (1) “I have lost my second mother/father” (i.e., grandparental loss perceived as parental loss), (2) first contact with death as a transformative experience, (3) ambivalence regarding death-related rituals, (4) grandparental loss as a dual grief process, and (5) university as a barrier and shelter during the grieving process. The findings were discussed in line with the relevant literature employing both a developmental and culture-sensitive perspective.
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Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are not openly available due to confidentiality and privacy issues stemming from the qualitative nature of the research. The transcripts of the semi-structured interviews, conceptual codes and data analysis steps of the current study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
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This research is part of the Master thesis of the first author.
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Both authors contributed substantially to the study’s conception and design. Data collection was mainly performed by Afife Karabayır. Data analysis and interpretation were performed by both researchers. The initial draft of the manuscript was prepared by Afife Karabayır while Yagmur Ar-Karci revised it critically for important intellectual content. Both authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
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Karabayır, A., Ar-Karci, Y. “I have lost my second parent”: developmental and cultural meanings of bereavement among turkish college students grieving for the death of a grandparent. Curr Psychol 42, 28417–28430 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03948-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-022-03948-5