The Evidence Behind Grief Support Groups
Safety
A report of calls to Childline showed that some young people, already vulnerable, seemed to be at increased risk of physical, emotional or sexual abuse as a result of their bereavement. Our support groups help young people stay safe by teaching them about how to establish personal boundaries and how to uphold them through assertive, rather than passive or aggressive behaviour. A session on trust helps participants learn how to discern between trustworthy and non-trustworthy people.
Health
Bereaved young people often develop a range of somatic complaints such as headaches and stomach aches. A variety of factors also cause bereaved young people to have a lower self-esteem than their non-bereaved peers. Our support groups help by teaching young people how to recognize symptoms of stress in the body. Participants also learn that each of them is a unique, one-of-a-kind, special creation of God.
Achieve and Ready
Young people are often too distracted by their bereavement to be able to concentrate in school. Their loss can overshadow their interest in learning or in pursuing enjoyable activities. Of course, ‘opposite effects’ may emerge in the case of young people who try to block out negative feelings by pushing themselves to excel in academics or sports. Our support groups help by teaching young people how to identify and verbalise negative feelings rather than keeping them locked inside. Participants also learn to express themselves through art and drama and they learn that music can greatly affect or alter their mood.
Positive Contribution
The British Childhood Bereavement Network cites studies that suggest higher rates of aggressive or disruptive behaviours among parentally bereaved children and young people than among the general population. Our support groups teach life skills to help young people deal successfully with significant life changes and challenges. Several young people who have participated in our British support groups have become peer mentors in their school and one was even chosen to be Head Teacher for a day!
Economic Well-Being
The paper by the Childhood Bereavement Network cites another study which found that men bereaved of a parent before they were 16 were more likely to be unemployed at 36 than their non-bereaved peers. Our support groups teach young people the necessity of accepting the reality of an unwelcome event, and the need to adjust to difficult changes by seeing them as challenges. As they develop emotional intelligence and self-confidence, young people will have the resilience needed to rebound from adversities and persevere through life’s challenges.
In an attempt to establish measurable outcomes for our support groups in accord with SHAPE guideline, Growing Through has identified eleven specific issues with which young people struggle. At the end of each Pot of Gold or Rays of Light cycle, parents are asked to evaluate any improvement they have observed in these areas of their child’s life:
Outcome of Participation in Grief Support Groups
The following are outcomes recorded over a period of fourteen years by a church in Northern Ireland and placed into the SHAPE model:
| Government Criteria | Outcomes | Outcomes | Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stay Safe | Behaviour | ||
| No. of participants / Percentages | 45 (45%) | ||
| Healthy | Self-Esteem | Anger Management | Emotional Well Being |
| No. of participants / percentages | 58 (58%) | 34 (34%) | 41 (41%) |
| Achieve and Enjoy | Participation In School | Academic Improvement | Social Interaction |
| No. of participants / percentages | 19 (19%) | 14 (14%) | 25 (25%) |
| Positive Contribution | Communication | Attitude | Cooperation At Home |
| No. of participants / Percentages | 40 (40%) | 33 (33%) | 31 (31%) |
| Economic Well being | N/A |