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Community psychology, digital technology, and loss: Remembrance activities of young adults who have experienced the death of a close friend
Author(s) -
Stein Catherine H.,
Hartl Majcher Jessica,
Froemming Maren W.,
Greenberg Sarah C.,
Benoit Matthew F.,
Gonzales Sabrina M.,
Petrowski Catherine E.,
Mattei Gina M.,
Dulek Erin B.
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of community and applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.042
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1099-1298
pISSN - 1052-9284
DOI - 10.1002/casp.2398
Subject(s) - grief , coping (psychology) , narrative , psychology , social psychology , qualitative research , online and offline , developmental psychology , psychotherapist , sociology , social science , computer science , operating system , linguistics , philosophy
We argue for community psychology to include digital communications technology in research on ways that the social environment shapes fundamental human experiences. We present a qualitative study that examined the narrative accounts of 20 young adults who experienced the death of a close friend to describe both traditional and digital forms of remembrance in coping with loss. Findings suggest that young adults' activities both online and offline were intended to acknowledge the loss, exchange social support, create and sustain memories of their deceased friend, and facilitate continued communication with the deceased. Participants described both costs and benefits to their real and virtual remembrance activities. Findings illustrate ways that the study of digital technology adds to our understanding of grief and bereavement and contributes to dominant cultural narratives about coping with death. Implications of findings for research in community psychology are discussed.