COMPLICATED GRIEF IN THE ERA COVID-19 - SCOPING REVIEW

Background: the aim of this study is to investigate how complicated grief is examined in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in current traceable sources. The following two research questions were established. What methods have been used to examine complicated grieving in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic? What conclusions do the presented studies reach? Methods: Design: A review study. Primary research articles have been searched using a combination of keywords - complicated mourning, complicated grief, protracted (prolonged) mourning - in the Scopus, Web of Science, National Library of Medicine PubMed, EBSCO, MEDVIK, PUBMED, and BMC databases. Exclusion criteria: Since this was not a primary study, the study was not available in full text; the research methodology was not clearly described. The data were processed using thematic analysis by sorting method. Conclusion: The analyzed studies focused mainly on the reflection of the situation of survivors who themselves had experienced COVID-19 and at the same time found themselves in the role of survivors. However, all studies point to the importance of providing professional support to the bereaved, regardless of whether their grief is complicated or not. However, the paradigm of medicalization of grief may certainly not be the desired approach in bereavement care.