Abstract

SOLA, Pamela et al. Online support group for bereaved family members during pandemic in brazilian context. Psic., Saúde & Doenças [online]. 2022, vol.23, n.2, pp.390-397.  Epub Sep 30, 2022. ISSN 1645-0086.  https://doi.org/10.15309/22psd230205.

The online support group for bereaved family members arose from the need to offer support to people who lost loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to analyze the contents related to the experiences of grief that emerged during the group sessions. Three psychologists and nine bereaved adults (seven women, ages 21 to 52) participated in the group, with an average of five participants per session. Twenty sessions lasting 80 minutes were conducted from August to December 2021. The sessions were transcribed and the material was submitted to qualitative analysis. The data were organized in four categories: (1) “I am missing someone”: this category gathers the recurrent reports of feeling lost and without motivation after the sudden loss of the relative(s); (2) “Grief is lonely”: the reports point to the discomfort with the world, which continued with festivities, despite the losses suffered, aggravated by the proximity of Christmas; (3) “It seems that it is not right to be happy”: refers to the coexistence between moments of happiness and guilt for feeling good in certain situations; (4) “He/she used to tell me to fulfill my dreams”: the comfort obtained in the cultivation of memories of happy moments experienced alongside the deceased loved one works as fuel for the continuity of life. It was observed that the support group constituted a space to offer psychological care, mutual help and help in the elaboration of the loss.

Keywords : Groups: Online therapy; Family members; Grief; COVID-19; pandemic.

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