A voyage in the grief labyrinth : the impact of grief on university students’ academic progress and overall well-being

Abstract

Grief can be a significant crisis or transformative experience faced by many university students. This study aimed to describe the impact of grief on students' academic progress, performance and overall wellbeing. The study was grounded in Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with six bereaved university students. Thematic analysis using Van Manen's methodology identified two themes. The first theme illuminated the various impact of grief. The second theme highlighted that grieving while in university was a lonely experience. This phenomenological interpretation provides insight into the bereaved students' experiences and has practical implications for universities.