Group 5 - IMRaD

GRIEVING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 1
Mourning In Isolation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis on the Grieving
Experiences of Bereaved Filipinos During the COVID-19 Pandemic
John Kenneth Q. Padel, Ira Joie M. De Jesus, John Louiz N. Martin,
Alyssandra Joyce S. Cosme, and Matthew A. Pitogo
College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Bataan Peninsula State University
Author Note
We have no conflict of interest to disclosed. This research is funded by the Department of
Science and Technology – Science Education Institute (DOST-SEI). The researchers thank Ms.
Shekinah Reyes, Ms. Ma. Fatima Bacala, and Dr. Rachel Reyes-Laureano for their comments,
suggestions, and never-ending patience during the entire research process.
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to John Kenneth Q. Padel,
Purok II, Doña, Orani, Bataan 2112, Philippines. Email: [email protected]

Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic affected how bereaved people mourn and grieve during these
challenging times. We are obliged to maintain our physical distances from the people we love,
even after their death. While many studies have addressed this pandemic-related grieving process
in the Western culture, there has yet no culture-specific research addressing this “novel” grieving
process in the Philippines. To know how Filipinos are grieving and coping with the death of their
loved ones during the pandemic, this study replicated the work of Schienfeld et al., (2021) to
know whether their results are similar in the Philippine context. This study employed an
interpretative phenomenological analysis, and the tool used was a set of self-made interview
questions validated by four experts. Ten bereaved individuals participated in the interview
process with an average bereavement period of 9 months. The data analysis revealed that there
are affective, behavioral, and cognitive components happening within the bereaved individual
during their bereavement period. Also, the participants experienced either family estrangement or
stronger family ties after the death of a loved one. The analysis also revealed that bereaved
people used many coping mechanisms and received different forms of social support from their
social environment. In conclusion, there are psychological and sociological facets involved in the
experiences of bereaved individuals during this pandemic. These components are interrelated
dimensions; each element intensifies and aggravates one another. A multidimensional view of
their situations is crucial for us to fully understand and comprehend the entirety and very nature
of their experiences.
Keywords: grieving, bereavement, COVID-19 pandemic, coping mechanism,
interpretative phenomenological analysis

Mourning In Isolation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis on the Grieving
Experiences of Bereaved Filipinos During the Covid-19 Pandemic
In November 2019, the first case of COVID-19 infection was recorded in Wuhan, China,
and by January 2020, it spread rapidly around the world and was eventually considered a global
pandemic (Roberts et al., 2021). According to World Health Organization (WHO), as of June 07,
2022, there were 532 million people infected by SARS-CoV-2, and unfortunately, 6.3 million of
these people died due to the virus (WHO COVID-19 Dashboard, 2022). Considering the massive
number of COVID-19-related deaths, at least five million families have also grieved and are still
grieving up to this date. Furthermore, the pandemic changed many things, including people’s
behavior, routines, lifestyle, and even altered their grieving process (Kgatle & Segalo, 2021).
Thus, researchers sought to explore the grieving experiences of people under the health protocols
imposed to mitigate the consequences of SARS-CoV-2, and they found out that the lack of
traditional burial rituals “exacerbated the feelings of grief” and “impacted the coping
capabilities” of the bereaved individuals (Scheinfeld et al., 2021, p. 18).
For many people, coping during this time of uncertainty is challenging, as we are obliged
to maintain our physical distance from the people we love. The majority of the population is
confined in their homes to mitigate the rapid spread of the virus, and as a result, their access to
social and communal support systems became limited (Breen, 2020). These could be more
challenging if someone they loved or close to them died during this socially isolating global
pandemic. Although grief is a normal process, it sometimes becomes prolonged or complicated,
requiring intervention (Mason et al., 2020). With the restrictions to protect society from the
devastating virus, mental health professionals cannot deliver their programs and interventions to
address these concerns from the general population (Morris et al., 2020). As a result, the families
of the deceased became more susceptible to developing further mental health problems (e.g.,
prolonged grief disorder and persistent grief disorder; Eisma et al., 2020; Djelantik et al., 2020).
Since psychological and psychiatric interventions were often neglected and underestimated in
previous pandemics and epidemics (Tucci et al., 2017; Morens & Fauci, 2013), the number of
people whose mental health is affected is larger than those affected by the infections (Reardon,
2015). The pandemic's mental health implications also tend to last longer than the
pandemic/epidemic itself (Shigemura et al., 2020; Reardon, 2015). Undoubtedly, grieving
because of an unexpected loss of a loved one has added to one of the mental illnesses that
emerge during a pandemic (Joaquim et al., 2021).
In its second year now, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an insurmountable impact
on all aspects of our lives. As of late January 2022, the Department of Health of the Philippines
recorded 53,000+ Filipinos who died from the SARS-CoV-2 (DOH COVID-19 Tracker, 2022).
To mitigate the increasing number of COVID-19 cases, the DOH released a memorandum that
indicates the standard guidelines in handling the remains of COVID-19 related deaths, including
the immediate cremation of the dead body 12 hours after passing. This order applies to all
confirmed and suspected cases and those with pending test results (DOH, 2020). This standard
health protocol considerably changed traditional burial practices across cultures, affecting their
mourning and grieving processes (Yap et al., 2021). As a spiritual country where burial
ceremonies are embedded in our culture, many Filipinos are deprived of this significant personal
meaning-making event after the death of their loved one, as the family is unable to bid their last
farewell to the dying person (Sarmiento, 2020). These changes in our norms affected the typical
grieving process of the bereaved and gave birth to novel ways of catharsis and coping
mechanisms (Corpuz, 2021). Undeniably, loss of hope and motivation, seeing the future vaguely,
and toughness to continue one’s life are some of the challenges that grieving during a pandemic
imposes (Aaslund, 2021).
Furthermore, recent publications suggest that grieving during a socially isolating global
pandemic is different from what people are used to due to the absence of final moments with the
deceased loved ones (e.g., funeral ceremonies) (Scheinfeld et al., 2021). Therefore, families of
the deceased may experience a complicated grief process (Corpuz, 2021), and it can affect
everyone regardless of their age group (Kumar, 2021). Even though social support systems can
mitigate its adverse effect (Boulware & Bui, 2016; Mayland et al., 2020), their capabilities to
prevent further mental health problems are limited due to the current restriction on holding
funeral/burial rites (Burrell & Selman, 2020). In fact, many considered these ceremonies as
significant personal meaning-making events (Sarmiento, 2020). As a result, the victims’ families
are more susceptible to developing mental health problems or experiencing more long-term
effects of the death of a loved one (Eisma et al., 2020; Djelantik et al., 2020).
While many studies have addressed this pandemic-related grieving process in the
Western culture (Scheinfeld et al., 2021; Gesi et al., 2020; Wallace et al., 2020), there has yet no
culture-specific research addressing this “novel” grieving process in the Philippine context
(Magintao et al., 2021; Rungduin, 2020), where burial ceremonies are part of people’s lives, and
social /communal support is collectively shared. Furthermore, there is no available research that
explored how people are forced to adapt to the sudden or unexpected loss of a loved one caused
by the current pandemic (Scheinfeld et al., 2021; Corpuz, 2021).
Therefore, the purpose of this study is to understand and illuminate the grieving
experiences of bereaved Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic by localizing and
contextualizing the findings of Scheinfeld et al. (2021) through partial replication. Also, it aims
to understand how Filipinos adapt to losing a loved one during the pandemic. Specifically, it
seeks to answer: (1) how are Filipinos grieving the death of loved ones under the restrictions of
the COVID-19 pandemic? and; (2) how are Filipinos coping with losing a loved one during the
COVID-19 pandemic?
Related Theories
The relevant theories presented in this section are the most related to the research
problem. However, these theories will not be the basis for data interpretation, as interpretative
phenomenological analysis (IPA) does not use pre-existing ideas and beliefs to understand a
phenomenon. Nevertheless, through the bottom-up process, this study’s results may be helpful
for a deeper understanding of these theories by providing detailed accounts of individuals who
experienced the actual phenomenon.
Four-Components Model of the Grieving Process
The four-component model was developed by George Bonanno (Bonanno & Kaltman,
1999) to understand the individual differences in their grieving process. The four primary
components are: (1) the context in which the loss occurs (e.g., was it expected or sudden, timely
or untimely?), (2) the subjective meaning associated with the loss (e.g., was the bereaved person
resentful that he or she had to care for the loved one prior to the death), (3) representation of the
lost relationship over time (e.g., does the bereaved person maintained a continuing relationship
with the deceased?), and (4) coping and emotion-regulation processes that can alleviate or
exacerbate the stress of loss (Boerner, 2015). According to Bonanno (2001, as cited in Boerner,
2015), if negative grief-related emotions are minimized and positive grief-related emotions are
enhanced, recovery and healing are most likely to happen.

Dual-Process Model (DPM) of Coping with Bereavement
The DPM was first developed by Stroebe and Schut (1999, 2010), who noted that
bereaved individuals alternate between two different kinds of coping. First is loss-oriented
coping, where the person tries to solve problems directly associated with the loss (e.g., dealing
with intrusive thoughts). The second kind of coping is restoration-oriented coping, where people
adapt to the challenges imposed by the life circumstances caused by the loss (e.g., doing new
things or learning new hobbies). Stroebe and Schut emphasize that the oscillation between the
two is vital for adaptive coping (Boerner, 2015).
Related Literature and Studies
Since the fast spread of the SARS-CoV-2 is causing the unfortunate increase in the
COVID-19 death toll and the severity of mortality rate, many families are forced to deal with the
“complicated grief” process (Corpuz, 2021). Families of the victims experienced this
complicated grief process because they were obliged to follow the hospital and morgue’s
protocols, and they were also prohibited from holding traditional mourning rituals and funeral
rights (Corpuz, 2021). The grieving process is less complicated when the bereaved person
accepts the reality, and funeral rites make the loss absolute and final. It also allows family
members to share their sentiments with their relatives (Santos et al., 2021). It was recently found
that emotional shock and fear of the future are the most common psychological crises that
bereaved families endure when a family member dies because of COVID-19 (Mohammadi et al.,
2021). Also, the psychological impact of the pandemic, such as higher levels of stress, anxiety,
and depression, are considerably associated with a pro-longed homestay, strictly imposed
quarantine, and concerns for other relatives (Tee et al., 2020). A recent case study also pointed
out that COVID-19 related deaths, lockdown policies, and socio-economic stressors may
increase the risk for complicated grief because these factors intensify the grief experience
(Santos et al., 2021). These give the impression that contact and connection with the dying
person before they pass away play a significant factor in the process of grief and bereavement of
a person (Yap et al., 2021).
Likewise, grief is a layer of emotional and biopsychosocial reactions to bereavement
(Boerner et al., 2015), and it affects various age groups during this global health crisis (Kumar,
2021). For example, children are observed to engage in a “long period of normal behavior and
play” during the grieving process, and the COVID-19 restrictions limit these “self-regulatory
strategies” (Santos et al., 2021, p. 2). Enforced isolations also make children and adolescents
experience high rates of depression and, most probably, high rates of anxiety (Loades et al.,
2020). Meanwhile, adolescents who experience bereavement may be at high risk of developing
complicated grief, as their grieving process interacts with “increased risk-taking, identity-
formation, and limited capacity for emotional regulation” (Weinstock et al., 2021, p. 1). Studies
also show that bereaved adolescents are affected the most by the sudden loss they experience,
affecting their development to adulthood (Andreissen et al., 2017).
Additionally, it was also determined that the effects of COVID-19 on daily life and
delayed academic activities are directly correlated with anxiety symptoms among college
students (Cao et al., 2020). Furthermore, in adults, the recent loss of immediate relatives, trauma
from the loss, and close/conflicting relationship with the dead family, along with their recent
bereavement due to COVID-19, may impose severe mental health problems (Tang et al., 2021).
Meanwhile, in older adults and the elderly, Ishikawa (2020) noted that they are “already in the
grieving process because of loss of autonomy and independence, social connectedness, financial
security, and access to necessities and support” (p. S85).

Nevertheless, social support can mitigate the adverse effects of stressful life events, and
bereaved people with more social support have fewer depressive symptoms (Boulware & Bui,
2016; Mayland et al., 2020). A mixed-method review postulated that physical comfort (e.g.,
hugging, having a conversation, touching) is vital throughout the grieving period (Burrell &
Selman, 2020). Furthermore, bereaved families with social support and opportunities for
cognitive and emotional acceptance of death had a better quality of life six months following the
loss (Wallace et al., 2020). Unfortunately, it is not currently possible because bereaved families
are subjected to restrictions on funeral practices, such as immediate cremation, limitations on
social gatherings, and interaction with other people during the ceremonies (Burrell & Selman,
2020). Thus, death during a pandemic limits the bereaved people from physically accessing their
supporters (Breen, 2020). Considering that face-to-face interviews do not seem possible, mental
health professionals who support bereaved families could help by encouraging grieving
individuals to share their psychological suffering through social communication platforms
(Morris et al., 2020).
Recent evidence shows that people who experience bereavement are also more likely to
develop mental health problems (Stroebe et al., 2017). Due to the pandemic, researchers are
concerned that multiple losses (e.g., loss of safety, financial security, autonomy, or
physical/social connection) at an unprecedented rate might disrupt the usual grieving process of
an individual (Wallace et al., 2020), which can eventually lead to the global rise of prolonged
grief disorder (Eisma et al., 2020) and persistent complex bereavement disorder (Djelantik et al.,
2020). When people do not adapt to these changes, they risk experiencing adverse mental health
outcomes (Williams et al., 2020). Also, people who experienced sudden deaths show more
symptoms of grief than those people who experienced natural deaths (Titlestad et al., 2019).
Furthermore, an interesting cross-sectional survey revealed that people who experienced recent
loss during the pandemic had higher grief levels than those who experienced recent loss before
the pandemic (Eisma and Tamminga, 2020).
In summary, recent publications suggest that grieving during a socially isolating global
pandemic is different from what people are used to due to the absence of final moments with the
deceased loved ones (e.g., funeral ceremonies). Therefore, families of the deceased may
experience a complicated grief process, and it can affect everyone regardless of their age group.
Even though social support systems can mitigate its adverse effect, their capabilities to prevent
further mental health problems are limited due to the current restriction on holding funeral/burial
rites of the bereaved families, which is considered a significant personal meaning-making event.
As a result, the victims’ families are more susceptible to developing mental health problems or
experiencing more long-term effects of the death of a loved one.
Conceptual Framework
Figure 1
Conceptual Framework on Complicated Grief Process
Note: The conceptual framework is a visual representation of the phenomenon formulated
according to the review of related literature and studies.

It is not surprising that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a massive toll of sudden and
unexpected deaths globally (i.e., more than five million deaths). It also made some cultural
changes as the government of the Philippines prohibited the traditional funeral practices of
Filipinos. Since the death is sudden and unexpected, it is tougher for the bereaved family to
comprehend and accept the loss. They are also unable to commemorate the last days of their
loved ones, which is considered a personal meaning-making event, due to the absence of burial
ceremonies. These two combined caused the “complicated grief process,” as identified by
previous scholars. Indeed, the nature of death, existing family and social support networks, and
cultural contexts are factors that can influence bereavement (Mayland et al., 2020).
Under this new process, one of the two possible conditions may affect the recovery path
of the bereaved individual. First, the feelings of grief may be alleviated if there is a social
support system during the complicated grief process. Second, if the social support system is
absent during the process, the feelings of grief might be exacerbated, or their coping capabilities
might be impacted. The second condition is concerning and probably, the most possible because
social gatherings (e.g., funeral ceremonies) during the pandemic are either limited or prohibited.
Social gatherings are when social support systems (e.g., close friends and relatives) are
overwhelmingly provided to the bereaved families.
Methods
Methods and Techniques of the Study
The study was in accordance with what Scheinfeld et al. (2021) did. It was chosen to
strengthen their results’ cross-cultural validity and see whether their findings are stable across
different cultures. The study employed an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) as the
research design. IPA is a qualitative approach that seeks to detail the account of lived
experiences of people rather than one pre-determined by existing theoretical concepts (Smith &
Osborn, 2015). Similar to Scheinfeld et al. (2021), this study did not use any theoretical concepts
and hypotheses as a basis because IPA recognized that humans are sense-making organisms and
construe their subjective reality. Furthermore, a semi-structured interview approach was used
because it enabled the researchers to clarify specific responses from the participants (Raworth et
al., 2012).
Population and Sample of the Study
The participants in this research are people who had lost their loved ones during the
COVID-19 pandemic and whose bereavement period is not more than two (2) years. They are
recruited through purposive sampling and ensured their willingness to participate before the
interview process. A total of 10 participants are interviewed who reside in Bataan, Philippines,
and came from different family units. They did not also experience any form of funeral
ceremonies that commemorate the loss of their loved ones.
Research Instrument
The study employed a semi-structured interview as the primary data gathering tool;
specifically, the researcher used five-item open-ended questions (see Appendix). It was chosen
because it enables the interviewer to clarify specific responses from participants without
diverging from the main focus of the interview process, and it allows for a better grasp of the
participants’ real feelings and sentiments (Raworth et al., 2012). In addition, the open-ended
questions were sufficient to cover all aspects of the research problem, and it was translated into
Filipino for the participants to fully grasp the questions (Welch & Piekkari, 2006).
Moreover, the entire questionnaire was validated by three experts in the field (see
Appendix) to determine if the problem of the study might be solved based on the participants’
knowledge and experiences. Finally, the translation of the interview questions was validated by a
Filipino licensed professional teacher (LPT) who majors in English (see Appendix).
Data Gathering Procedure
Considering the increasing number of active cases of SARS-CoV-2 in Bataan, the study
used telephone interviews (i.e., video calls) with the participants to get the necessary data. Before
proceeding to the interview sessions, the participants signed a consent form after explaining all
the aspects of the research process and its significance and benefits. Withdrawal from the
research at any given time is an option that was also given to them. The five-item open-ended
questions were the primary data gathering tool for this research. After each interview, the
researchers conducted a debriefing session to reverse any potential psychological harm imposed
by the data gathering procedure, and they were assured that all the information gathered would
solely be used for the research. Before proceeding to the analysis, the participants validated the
whole interview transcript. Fortunately, no participants withdrew during the entire research
process.
Data Analysis
The data analysis administered in this study was adopted from the steps of interpretative
phenomenological analysis (IPA) first described by Smith et al. (2021). The six-step process are
(1) reading and rereading, (2) initial noting, (3) developing emergent themes, (4) searching for
connections across emergent themes, (5) moving to the next case, and (6) looking for patterns
across cases. Lastly, the researchers consulted the published literature during the discussion
phase to analyze how the current studies in the academe relate to the study’s findings. (Smith et
al., 2021).
Results
Profile of the Participants
Table 1 presents the personal profile of the participants in terms of their code, age, sex,
and period of bereavement.
Table 1
Personal Profile of the Participants
Participant Code Sex Age Period of Bereavement
1 P1 Male 35 8 months
2 P2 Female 29 1 year and 4 months
3 P3 Male 21 1 year and 11 months
4 P4 Female 21 7 months
10 P10 Male 60 7 months
As indicated in Table 1, 10 bereaved individuals participated in this study. In terms of age
group, there were five (5) youth (ages 15-24) and five (5) adults (ages 25-64) with an average age
of 29 for the entire sample. Regarding sex, there were seven (7) female and three (3) male
participants. Furthermore, the average period of bereavement of all the participants is
approximately nine (9) months, with four (4) people whose bereavement periods were less than or
equal to six months, four (4) people with more than six months but less than a year, and two (2)
people with more than one year of bereavement period.

Themes
The results of the interpretative data analysis yielded two (2) major themes, namely
“Psychological Facet” and “Sociological Facet,” which consist of four (4) and two (2) sub-major
themes, respectively. Each sub-major theme is composed of several minor themes that detail and
specify the experiences of bereaved individuals. The entire thematic table is presented in Table 2.
Table 2
Thematic Table Yielded by the IPA
PSYCHOLOGICAL FACET SOCIOLOGICAL FACET

Affective Behavioral Cognitive Coping Social Family
Components Components Components Mechanisms Support Dynamics
Guilt and Does not know Denial Coping with Showing Family
regrets how to deliver the the loss social/emotional estrangement
news Mind- through support and after the death
Resentment blanking reminiscing empathy of a loved one
Lack of contact
Absence of and not seeing the Forced Revisited Strong family ties Stronger ties
presence deceased after acceptance mementos of as a form of social with the family
death deceased support after the death
Grieving pronouncement Delayed loved one of a loved one
alone realization Close personal
Prohibition Humor as a relationships as a
Disrupted caused by the Unexpected coping form of social
mood pandemic death mechanism support
Resiliency Social support

from social media
Making their
selves busy
and being
productive
Optimism and
positive
attitude
Psychological Facet
The first major theme generated by the data analysis is the “Psychological Facet.” This
theme is composed of affective, mental, and behavioral characteristics during the bereavement
period of an individual affected by the current COVID-19 pandemic. It includes the emotions,
mental processes, actions, and attitudes rooted in the experiences of a bereaved person.
Specifically, this major theme is composed of four (4) sub-major themes, namely (1) Affective
Components, (2) Behavioral Components, (3) Cognitive Components, and (4) Coping
Mechanisms. Each sub-major theme is thoroughly explained in the succeeding sections.
Affective Components. Affect refers to the feelings we experience as part of our
everyday lives. However, this component under the “Psychological Facet” is defined as the
emotions and emotional reactions stemming from a person’s bereavement experiences during
this pandemic. The interpretative data analysis yielded five (5) minor themes under this category.
The minor themes are presented and explained in Table 3.
Table 3
Affective Components of the Bereavement Experiences
Themes and description Example quote

Guilt and regrets
Their guilt was formed through their choices, which “Iyon nga ‘yung inaano ng nanay ko.
turned out to be wrong, and because they blamed Para daw ang sama-sama niyang
themselves for the things that happened. They asawa. Ba’t naman kako? (Sabi
also showed regrets specifically on how they niya) Para ko na ikang tinapon ang
behaved toward them when they were still alive. papa mo ro’n.” (P1)
Resentment
They showed resentment due to the extent of their “Nagdedesisyon sila (LGU) nang
pain. Their life changed because of their loss, and hindi naming alam. Alam mo ‘yung
they feel angry with the factors that caused sila sana unang susuporta sa inyo
situations to happen. They went through so much kaso hindi.” (P2)
but ended up losing their loved ones.
Absence of presence
The family's lives changed from their daily living to “Isang buong taon talaga malungkot
the special occasions because a part of them was buong pamilya. … iba ‘yung
missing. They feel their absence more in presence ng pamilya naming noong
situations when they need them or when they nabubuhay pa siya e kesa noong
remember the things they used to do together nawala siya. Hindi na masigla.
cannot be done because of the absence of their Kapag nandoon kami masigla
presence. noon.” (P3)
Grieving alone
Grief can make someone feel alone and isolated. “Sa pamilya ko hindi ko masabi kung
Reaching out to other people, even a close friend fully healed na ba sila kasi hindi rin
or family, is hard. As a result, grieving alone naman sila nagsasabi. Wala sari-
made it easier for them to accept the reality that sarili lang. Parang nahihiya kami
their loved one was gone. ganon.” (P3)
Disrupted mood
The bereaved families had occurrences of disrupted “Noong ano, sabi ko talaga sa kanila,
mood. They lost the will to continue their para akong mababaliw... 3 days
everyday life and lost their sense of self because akong hindi natulog kakaisip sa
of the disruption. They experienced the kanila. Libang-libang lang sa
symptoms of disruptive mood such as disturbed sarili.” (P2)
sleep, loss of appetite, fatigue, and anxiety.
Guilt and regrets. We often reminisce about the deceased in the early stages of grief.
Recalling situations, memories, and experiences with them always lead us to feel guilt and
regret. The participants are not an exception to this. They expressed guilt and regrets upon losing
their loved ones. The participants enunciated their painful experiences and feelings about the past
when their loved ones were still alive. Their guilt made them accused and blame themselves for
their loss. They feel responsible for the death of their loved ones. For example, “P1” (35 years
old, male) said that “iyon nga ‘yung inaano ng nanay ko. Para daw ang sama-sama niyang asawa
. . . Para ko na ikang tinapon ang papa mo ro’n.”
Other participants expressed their guilt and regret by thinking about their past behavior
towards the deceased. They wished they treated them better and hoped they had done things
“differently”. In fact, “P5” (22 years old, female) said that “tapos...ano parang...siguro mayroong
sadness. Ano, parang every now and then kase...I could never do those things nga. Tsaka, regret
kase nga...kase I was never that affectionate towards her.” It is only natural to feel guilt and
regret when losing a person we value, especially when sudden and unexpected. We are not
physically and mentally prepared to lose them. The unresolved issues, conflicts, or unfinished
business that the participants have with the deceased resulted in them feeling guilt and regret.
Resentment. Resentment was evident to the participants because of their unexpected loss.
Different factors affect their resentments, such as their emotional attachment with the deceased,
the extreme pain of losing their loved one, and the radical change in the bereaved family’s lives.
These factors reached the extent of their emotions which caused them to feel resentment. The
participants showed different resentments. Some showed resentment towards the LGUs, Health
Centers, and Hospitals. “P2” (29 years old, female) said that “nagka problema kami rito sa center
at sa LGU. Kasi dahil sa kanila kaya na quarantine kami nang napakatagal. Nagdedesisyon sila
nang hindi naming alam.” Meanwhile, others showed resentment due to their disbelief with the
cause of death of their loved one. “P8” (57 years old, female) stated that “may sisihan pa dahil
bakit nga idineclare na meron siya COVID e ni hindi nga daw siya na COVID.”
As resentment has anger as its key emotion and includes the primary emotions of disgust
and surprise, which can combine in pairs to form outrage, contempt, and shock, it is normal to
feel resentment after losing a loved one because they use it as their coping mechanism. They
blame the factors and the environment for causing the death of their loved one, and it gives them
the relief that they have done nothing wrong which caused the death.
Absence of presence. The absence of presence means living the life without the presence
of their loved one in the most important and meaningful moments in life. It triggers grief and
affects the daily lives of bereaved people. This component was experienced by some of the
participants in the littlest moments of their life. They tend to look for them when they need them
or miss them, but they are no longer there. They feel their loss more due to these instances and
situations. “P4” (21 years old, female) said that “syempre minsan nakakamiss din si lola kapag
wala ka na dinadatnan. … Kapag doon kami natutulog parang kulang…parang ‘yung presence
niya wala na sa bahay. Ramdam mo na may kulang.”
This component could also be experienced in the most significant events that only could
happen if they were still alive. The participants expressed how the absence of the presence of the
deceased affects the important occasions in their lives. In these moments, grief could be
triggered, and the absence of presence can be felt badly. In fact, “P9” (24 years old, female)
mentioned that “pag-uuwi kami ng Batangas, nawala na ‘yung excitement kasi wala na kaming
isusurprise pag dating do’n.”
The absence of presence also negatively impacted the bereaved people that could last
forever due to their matchless role in their lives. The participants expressed their sorrow and
grief when they knew that they would never see their loved ones anymore and that life would
never be the same without them. “P6” (20 years old, female) stated that “kase parang nawalan ng
parte ‘yung bahay. Nawalan siya ng isang stand. Kase para ngang nawala si Daddy Lo and hindi
kami sanay na wala siya kase parang siya ‘yung pinakamaingay sa aming tatlo.”
The absence of presence “sinks in” the thought that their family is forever gone. It makes
them face the reality of their loss. The adjustments and changes they experienced after losing
them took a toll on their daily lives. They felt a part of them was missing, but it helped them
accept their loss.
Grieving alone. Grieving alone in this pandemic is prevalent because of the implemented
physical distancing and health protocols. Articles reported that bereaved people were ‘forced’ to
grieve alone due to social distance, travel restrictions, and self-isolation (Selman et al., 2021). A
participant experienced being away from their family for almost a month because of quarantine.
Their families were all quarantined, but they were in separate facilities. One participant, “P2” (29
years old, female) dealt with grief alone in a COVID facility where she was admitted. She said
that “para kaming nag bakasyon. Nagluksa lang ako mag-isa.”
The other participants expressed that they grieved alone, but it was a kind of “social
isolation” rather than physical isolation. They did not express their grief to their family or
friends. For them, grieving alone felt more than just physical deprivation. They made themselves
socially deprived. “P4” (21 years old, female) stated that “hindi naman nakaapekto…parang sa
sarili ko lang dinamdam. May mga times na umiiyak lang ako magisa…basta umiiyak lang ako.”
Each family has a unique experience that must be honored. We witness families
experiencing the ‘cruelty’ of their loved one dying alone in the hospital, the ‘trauma’ of feeling
alone and unprepared for their loved ones dying at home, and the ‘helplessness’ of
communicating and advocating through a screen. And then there is the ‘what next, the grieving
alone, and the postponement of life celebrations.
Disrupted mood. The participants cannot face the harsh reality of losing their loved ones.
They experienced a roller coaster of negative emotions such as constant losing their sense of self,
losing their will to function, and admission of guilt. These circumstances lead them to the
occurrence of disrupted moods. Some participants found it more difficult to accept their
bereavement. It caused them to blame themselves for what happened and feel vexed with their
loss. These feelings and emotions are the reason for their disrupted moods. “P2” (29 years old,
female) said that “sabi ko talaga sa kanila, para akong mababaliw... 3 days akong hindi natulog
kakaisip sa kanila. Libang-libang lang sa sarili.”
Other participants were also left feeling discouraged, lost, and unmotivated with their
lives. The academic aspect of a participant was affected due to losing their loved one. Another
participant felt lethargic due to having difficulty accepting their bereavement. These aspects
caused them to experience disrupted moods. For example, “P3” (21 years old, male) mentioned
that “di ba nag-online class. Medyo parang wala ako sa mood mag gawa-gawa ng assignment
kasi nga may nawala sa buhay. Wala talaga ako sa mood. Tamad na tamad talaga ako sa buhay
ko.”
Picking up oneself after a loss will surely be a struggle. It is hard to get back on track
knowing that a part of us was gone forever. Accepting and facing the reality of not having their
loved one’s presence anymore caused the participants to experience disruptive moods.
Behavioral Components. This component under the “Psychological Facet” focuses on
how the bereaved individual’s behaviors and actions are affected by the death of a loved one
during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are three (3) minor themes under this component. It is
presented in Table 4.
Table 4
Behavioral Components of the Bereavement Experiences

Does not know how to deliver the news
Bereaved people often experience great shock after “Hindi rin naming alam paano
the loss of their loved one, and this shock hinders sasabihin kay mama, sa asawa
them from not knowing how to deliver the news niya.” (P1)
to their friends and families. It is usually either
because they cannot comprehend what had just “Paano ka haharap sa tao kasi
happened or cannot bear to see their loved ones biglang- bigla, hindi mo
be devastated by the news of their loved one’s maipalwanag sa kanila.” (P2)
death.
Lack of contact and not seeing the deceased after
death pronouncement
By taking away the right to have a funeral, bereaved “Parang ano ba, hindi ka maiiyak
people cannot gain any closure on their confusion kase hindi mo siya nakita...parang
about why their loved one had died and why this sobrang layo na hindi maiisip na
is happening to them. In this component, the lack kamag-anak mo siya. Na parang

of contact and not seeing after death hindi ka maiiyak kase hindi mo ma-
pronouncement reinforces the feeling of rerealize na ano, parang kamag-
confusion and shock on not being able to have anak mo ‘yung namatay.” (P5)
any closure on the death of their loved one due to
not seeing them one last time.
Prohibition caused by the pandemic
The pandemic greatly affected the grieving of “Noong nawala si Nanay, ang inisip
bereaved people. The government's prohibitions agad naming is papaano kami
to prevent the further spread of the COVID also makakapunta sa kanya. Ang higpit
hindered bereaved individuals’ ability to visit ng protocols non, madaming mga
their lost loved ones in their cemeteries. This checkpoints sa mga dadaanan
prohibition brought anxiety to the bereaved naming. Ako palang ‘yung fully
participants pondering how they would visit their vaccinated non.” (P9)
loved one’s grave and allow them to move on
finally.
Does not know how to deliver the news. Upon learning the news of their loved one’s
passing, Bereaved individuals are incredibly shocked and often confused about why this situation
is happening. They are hurt and greatly devastated after experiencing such an event. Because of
this, they cannot express or do not know how they would deliver the news to their loved ones.
“P2” (29 years old, female) mentioned that “hindi rin naming alam paano sasabihin kay mama,
sa asawa niya.”
Another reason bereaved individuals struggle to deliver the news to others because they
do not want or cannot bear to see their loved ones be saddened and overwhelmed with grief.
Further analysis showed that bereaved individuals do not know how to deliver the news because
they are also reminded of the loss of their deceased loved one and are overwhelmed with grief
and pain, thus hindering their rational thinking and affecting their behavior and actions. This
behavior can be further reinforced as many participants in this study feign ignorance and deny
that their deceased loved one did not pass away and are simply out of town. For example, “P7”
(22 years old, female) said that “iniisip nga daw nila na pumunta nga lang ng Australia.
Nagbakasyon lang. Kasi nga hindi mo nakitang binurol, hindi mo nakitang nilibing. Ayun ang
naging way nila.”
Lack of contact and not seeing the deceased after death pronouncement. A lack of
contact and not being able to see the deceased after death pronouncement is bound to create
doubts in individuals who are experiencing hardship and are being overwhelmed with grief.
According to the data gathered, many of the participants questioned whether their deceased loved
ones were indeed the ones that were being cremated as they did not have any contact or proof
after the death pronouncement; they could not visit nor confirm it due to the lockdown protocols.
For example, “P4” (21 years old, female) stated that:
Lockdown non eh ayun ‘yung kasagsagan ng delta ata tapos lockdown dito sa atin
lahat...basta lahat dito sa atin lockdown. Eh na sa Pampanga siya noon inadmit na
hospital so roon din cremation sa Pampanga kaya ayun wala talaga as in.
The lack of contact between the bereaved participants and their loved ones begins when
their loved ones are immediately confined to the hospital due to them having COVID. Due to the
lockdown, the patient diagnosed with COVID cannot be visited by their family, and as such, the
bereaved individuals develop guilt and doubts. “P5” (22 years old, female) mentioned that
“parang hindi ka maiiyak kase hindi mo siya nakita...parang sobrang layo na hindi maiisip na
kamag-anak mo siya. Na parang hindi ka maiiyak kase hindi mo ma-rerealize na ano, parang
kamag-anak mo ‘yung namatay.”
Although the lockdown protocols may have prevented the further spread of COVID, they
inadvertently affected the bereaved people’s behavior. Contact with someone before passing
away is a sign of connection that can ease you away from the grief to come. Without contact
prior to their death, this can affect an individual’s psyche and give them guilty feelings and
regret of not being there at the time of the passing of their loved one.
Prohibition caused by the pandemic. Another issue that arises from the pandemic is the
prohibition that hindered bereaved people’s ability to visit the grave of their deceased loved
ones. Bereaved people are stripped of their freedom to have funerals, visit their graves, and
contact their loved ones before passing away. This prohibition affects these individuals in
expressing their grief and achieving closure to move on with their lives. Not being able to host a
funeral affects their psyche as they may feel isolated in their grief. In context, “P7” (22 years old,
female) stated that:
Ang nangyari pa non kasi, hindi kami na-contact nung namatay siya. Umaga na kami na
contact. Hindi nila gagalawin yun hanggat walang permiso galing samin. Doon kami
nalungkot. Ang naisip pa namin, kung walang magaasikaso do’n, doon na siya ililibing.
They are also stripped of their freedom on whether they will want a cremation or not or
where would their deceased loved one be buried. The bereaved people become even more
anxious because they do not know what will become of their deceased loved one, as they are
prohibited from visiting and arranging plans on what is to be done next. “P9” (24 years old,
female) mentioned that “noong nawala si Nanay, ang inisip agad naming is papaano kami
makakapunta sa kanya. Ang higpit ng protocols non, madaming mga checkpoints sa mga
dadaanan naming. Ako palang ‘yung fully vaccinated non.”
Participant 9 further reinforces that this prohibition greatly affects their anxiety and, in
conjunction, their grief to a degree. Even though this prohibition was done according to safety, it
is the opposite for the bereaved individuals. This situation contributes to their irrational behavior,
and they may be prone to even more emotional problems.

Cognitive Components. This sub-major theme under the “Psychological Facet” can be
defined as the thought processes, state of mind, and pattern of thinking that arise from the
experiences of bereaved individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic. The interpretative data
analysis yielded five (5) minor themes under this category. The minor themes are presented and
explained in Table 5.
Table 5
Cognitive Components of the Bereavement Experiences

Denial
This component is called denial because the “Iniisip nga daw nila na pumunta nga
participants typically deny that their experiences lang ng Australia. Nagbakasyon
are not real or that they did not happen at all. lang. Kasi nga hindi mo nakitang
Most of them said that their deceased loved ones binurol, hindi mo nakitang nilibing.
are just in another place and will come back Ayun ang naging way nila.” (P7)
anytime soon. They faced situations very
suddenly, and they had no time to recuperate
from what happened.
Mind-blanking
Bereaved people tend to lose their conscious “…nung narinig ko ‘yun parang wala
awareness after they know what happened. Their akong maramdaman, blangko
minds seem to be “nowhere”; they become lang…parang hind nag-sisink in. …
unresponsive to internal and external stimuli. Alam mo ‘yung tumutulo na lang
Their decision-making capabilities may be luha mo parang wala kang
temporarily impaired during this period, and their nararamdaman basta tumutulo lang
ability to think rationally is somehow inhibited. luha mo, ganon lang.” (P4)
Forced acceptance
Bereaved people accept everything that happens, “Sabi nga lang ni Ate na tumatawag
even if it is against their will. What will happen nun na wala naman din ngang
to the body of their loved deceased one is not mangyayari. Parang nagagalit siya
only in their hands anymore; they need to follow kunware na wag na kaming umiyak
the mandatory protocols concerning the burial of kasi wala naman ding mangyayari.
the bodies. Having an option is difficult during Kaya parang naitago nalang.” (P7)
those tough times. As a result, accepting the
decisions made by an external authority is easier.
Delayed realization
As the name implied, the realizations of the “...may mga uncle pa ako na
bereaved person about what happened are later nagdadalamhati pa talaga hanggang
than what they expected. Immediate ngayon as in hindi pa rin nila
understanding is somehow impaired because the inaakala na wala na si tatay.” (P3)
situations are too much to bear; it is
incomprehensible.
Unexpected death
Everything is pacing relatively fast, and the “Hindi. Hindi namin talaga ine-
bereaved individuals had no time to understand expect... Inubo lang siya tapos
the incident or even recuperate from what noong inubo na siya na ganyan,
happened. The participants encountered nilagnat na, ganun. Tapos noong
significant mental shock from the traumatic dinala na namin sa doktor, ayun na
event, which may be one of the antecedents of may lumabas na na kung ano-ano.”
their denial, mind-blanking, and delayed (P8)
realization.
Denial. Denial is a defense mechanism that can be traced back to the very beginning of
psychology. Sigmund Freud defined it as the one mechanism of the mind; the ego denies
unconscious thoughts as it causes stress and anxiety to the person (Fiest, J. et al., 2021). Denial is
also part of Elizabeth Kubler-Ross’s five stages of grief, and it is the first stage where people
deny the death of their loved ones (Boerner, K. et al., 2015). As one of the minor themes of this
study, denial almost has the same conceptual meaning. Based on the data analysis, denial is when
the bereaved people deny everything related to the death of their loved ones and even create a
distorted, fictionalized scenario in their heads to cope with the loss. It somehow helps them
temporarily process everything to comprehend their situations. Most participants said their loved
ones are just “somewhere else,” and they will come back eventually. They denied that the person
had passed away and created a fictionalized, less threatening, and more comprehensible scenario.
“P8” (57 years old, female) said that “ay ano ka. Para kaming mga tanga. Sabi namin, baka na sa
banban lang. Na parang nandun lang sa bundok. Bababa din siya ganun.”
It is important to mention that denial seems to be their defense mechanism rather than a
coping mechanism. It happens unconsciously, and the bereaved person is somehow unaware of
it. Denial happens involuntarily as a response to the unfortunate situations they are facing. It is
not their coping mechanism because it is not a conscious and purposeful process; denial is
involuntary and does not operate in consciousness. Accordingly, “P1” (25 years old, male)
mentioned that “hindi mo man lang nakita. Na hindi mo alam kung ‘yung na sa bag na iyon,
kung ‘yun ba ang tatay mo dahil susunugin. Siyempre isipin mo, ‘yung baby nga na swap e, ‘yun
pa kayang patay?”
Many traditional and contemporary studies indicate that denial after someone close to us
passes away is normal (Boerner, K. et al., 2015). Nevertheless, it becomes troublesome when a
bereaved person denies the reality for a prolonged period; it has already impaired many aspects
of their life (e.g., Eisma, M. C. et al., 2020). Nevertheless, the denial that appeared among the
participants seems to be within the normal level, as they did not experience significant
impairment in any aspects of their lives (e.g., academic, occupational). It also seemed that their
denial was within the normal period.
Mind-blanking. Bereaved people tend to lose their conscious awareness after they know
what happened. Their minds seem to be “nowhere”; they become unresponsive to internal and
external stimuli. During this period, their decision-making capabilities may be temporarily
impaired, and their ability to think rationally is somehow inhibited. Based on the collected data,
the suddenness of death and the overflowing emotions may be the antecedents of this
phenomenon; however, it needs further research to validate this information. Nevertheless, mind-
blanking seems to be a universal experience in our sample. “P2” (29 years old, female) told that
“wala ako sa ano… wala ako sa sarili.”

The overflowing emotions stem from the suddenness of death temporarily “shutdowns”
consciousness, which negatively affects emotional regulation, rational thinking, adaptive coping,
and decision-making abilities. Emotional numbness is also evident among the participants,
hindering their ability to recognize and acknowledge their own emotions during those moments.
For example, “P4” (21 years old, female) voiced that “…nung narinig ko ‘yun parang wala
akong maramdaman, blangko lang…parang hind nag-sisink in. … Alam mo ‘yung tumutulo na
lang luha mo parang wala kang nararamdaman basta tumutulo lang luha mo, ganon lang.”
Facilitation through social support during this vulnerable period may benefit the bereaved
person; they can have someone who will act as their temporary emotional outlet that may enable
adaptive coping. However, the data alone from this study is not enough to claim this as a piece of
empirical evidence. Nevertheless, adaptive coping is apparent whenever there is social support
during the bereavement period. “P7” (22 years old, female) brought up that “naka-overcome ako
agad sa lungkot na yun. Basta parang mabilis lang din kasi siguro tinulungan nalang din nila
(mga ate at tito) kaming gumaan ‘yung pakiramdam namin.”
Forced acceptance. In order to prevent the increasing number of COVID-19-related
deaths, the Department of Health in the Philippines mandates the immediate cremation of all the
dead bodies (i.e., suspected and confirmed COVID-19-related deaths) 12 hours after passing.
Bereaved people accept everything that happens, even if it is against their will. What will happen
to the body of their loved deceased one is not only in their hands anymore; they need to follow
the mandatory protocols regarding the burial of the bodies. “P8” (57 years old, female)
mentioned that:
Edi ayun na nga, nasaktan na silang lahat doon. Wala tayong magagawa, sabi ko. Dahil
unang-una, nanunungkulan ako. Ako pa ‘yung sisisihin. Na “health committee” ka pa
naman, alam mo yan ‘yung mga protocol na ganyan. Ginanon ako ng doktor.
Having an option is difficult during those tough times, and as a result, accepting the
decisions made by an external authority is easier. They are already emotionally and mentally
vulnerable during their bereavement period, and they have no other choice but to accept the
death of their loved ones. “P7” (22 years old, female) mentioned that “sabi nga lang ni Ate na
tumatawag nun na wala naman din ngang mangyayari. Parang nagagalit siya kunware na wag na
kaming umiyak kasi wala naman ding mangyayari.”
Delayed realization. As the name implied, the realizations of the bereaved person about
what happened are later than what they expected. Typically, after the death of a loved one,
overflowing emotions rushes in response to the bad news. Meanwhile, most of our sample went
through delayed realizations wherein, rather than overflowing emotions, they experienced mind-
blanking and denial first. Immediate understanding is somehow impaired because the situations
are too much to bear; it is incomprehensible. “P3” (21 years old, male) revealed that “...may mga
uncle pa ako na nagdadalamhati pa talaga hanggang ngayon as in hindi pa rin nila inaakala na
wala na si tatay.”
Based on the analysis, the combination of lack of funeral ceremonies and the suddenness
of deaths may be the causal reasons for this phenomenon. Still, it is too early to conclude as it
needs further research to validate this information. Nevertheless, most of the participants
encountered delayed realization at some point in their bereavement period. One participant even
mentioned that she only realized what happened after months of grieving. Specifically, “P5” (22
years old, female) told that “tapos nung parang tumatagal na, parang September, October, parang
November lang nag-sink in sa akin, nung birthday niya.” (P5)
Unexpected and sudden deaths. It is not surprising that many people worldwide
encounter unexpected deaths — someone they know died but is not expected to die in a certain
way or place — or sudden deaths — when a person dies suddenly and earlier than expected —
because of the pandemic. Most of our participants also encountered this; they did not expect their
loved ones to die or immediately pass away. Everything is pacing relatively fast, and the
bereaved individuals had no time to understand the incident or even recuperate from what
happened. “P8” (57 years old, female) brought up that “hindi namin talaga ine-expect... Inubo
lang siya tapos noong inubo na siya na ganyan, nilagnat na, ganun. Tapos noong dinala na namin
sa doktor, ayun na may lumabas na na kung ano-ano.”
The participants encountered significant mental shock from the traumatic event, which
may be one of the antecedents of their denial, mind-blanking, and delayed realization. The
participants had no death expectations since most of the deceased had no comorbidities (n = 9).
Nevertheless, further research is needed to validate the causal relationship between
unexpected/sudden death and the aforementioned effects (i.e., denial, mind-blanking, and
delayed realization).
Facing the suddenness and unexpectedness of death became relatively common in the
context of the current pandemic. Many bereaved individuals face internal, external, and novel
challenges stemming from their unusual experiences. Mental health professionals must
acknowledge these relatively new experiences that may cause new and atypical effects on
people’s well-being.
Coping Mechanisms. Coping mechanism, in this context, refers to the mental and
behavioral strategies that people draw on during their bereavement period to process the intense
pain and complex emotions and adapt to their situations. This sub-major theme can be defined as
the actions and thoughts that someone does to handle a stressful situation. Under this sub-major
theme, six minor themes were concluded based on the data analysis. The minor themes are
presented and explained in Table 6.
Table 6
Coping Mechanisms of Bereaved People During this Pandemic

Coping with the loss through reminiscing
Whenever they miss their loved ones, they just “Pero ayun nga nakakamiss na inaalala si
think of what they did when the deceased was lola. Aalis kami ng inaalala si lola
still alive. The usual things that the parang “sama natin si lola sa ganito”
participants did were going through their “gusto ni lola ng ganito” “bilhan natin
conversations, photos, and the things their ng ganito si lola” parang lagi para sa
loved ones used to do. It became one of their kanya. Siya lagi inaalala ngayon wala
coping mechanisms when things were hard for na.” (P4)
them.
Revisited mementos of deceased loved ones
It happens when the participants reminisce about “May kinuha din kaming parang
their loved ones through their important remembrance din namin parang mga
belongings. Usually, they are doing this right daster nya. Nandoon samin, ginagamit
after their loved one passes away. They are namin para naalala namin siya lagi.
keeping their belongings because they can still ‘Yung bag nya na nandoon lahat ng
feel the presence of their loved ones in that IDs nya, na sa akin ‘yun.” (P8)
way. Some participants even went to where
their loved ones used to live.
Humor as a coping mechanism
One uses this as a coping mechanism to relieve “Naiisip nila na nagbibiruan na nga lang
their stress or what happened to them. It is na “paano nandito si nanay?” ganun. ...
defined as when the participants take the Hindi naman sa okay lang pero siguro
situation lightly by making jokes about their life goes on lang din siguro ang iniisip
loved ones to the people around them. nila.” (P7)
Resiliency
Being resilient has been one of the major “Kase may mga bagay ka ring dapat
characteristics of Filipinos. Regardless of intindihin eh. May mga bago na
what happened to them, the participants nandito na dapat naming ituloy gawin.
showed a strong mentality. They did not let Na parang if we settle with that grief,
the situation hinder them from continuing we will not finish anything at all.” (P5)
their own lives. Participants have the urge to
move forward and accept things the way it is.
Making their selves busy and being productive
Either they will engage with new activities or “So hinahayaan kong ma-busy...sobrang
push themselves to keep doing their tasks. ma-busy ‘yung sarili ko kase ayaw
They are purposely keeping themselves busy, kong maisip, ayaw kong magkaroon ng
so they will not feel the sadness, or they will even a second na wala kong ginagawa
not remember their loved ones. Some of them kase bigla kong siyang maiisip kase
expressed that they do not want to stop what feeling ko doon ako...doon ko mas
they are doing, not even for a second, because naaalala ‘yung sakit na naramdaman
they are afraid that the thought of their loved ko before.” (P6)
ones might cross their minds.
Optimism and positive attitude
When someone is grieving, it is perfectly fine to “Inisip nalang din kasi namin na kung
be sad or not okay, but in this coping nandito siya, nahihirapan nalang din
mechanism, the participants tried to shift their siya. Napapagod na rin siya kakapunta
negative emotions into positive ones. Instead ng doktor. Iniisip nalang namin na mas
of being sad while grieving, they decided to mabuting nakapag pahinga nalang din
become optimistic about the loss. siya ganun.” (P7)
Coping with the loss through reminiscing. Reminiscing can help a person relieve their
stress. It can also produce positive feelings and enhance the well-being of a person (Speer &
Delgado, 2019). At some point, people go through this pace to ease the emotion that they are
dealing with. In this minor theme, the participants go back to the times wherein their loved ones
were still alive. They think that “if she/he were still here, she/he would love this.” The usual
things that the participants did were going through their conversations, photos, and the things
their loved ones used to do. Sometimes they associate their loved ones with the things they will
do or the places they went. It became one of their coping mechanisms when things were hard for
them. “P4” (21 years old, female) even mentioned that “pero ayun nga nakakamiss na inaalala si
lola. Aalis kami ng inaalala si lola parang “sama natin si lola sa ganito” “gusto ni lola ng ganito”
“bilhan natin ng ganito si lola” parang lagi para sa kanya. Siya lagi inaalala ngayon wala na.”
Additionally, the participants reminisced with their relatives; it became their bonding.
Some even went to their loved one’s tombs whenever they missed them. However, coping with
the loss through reminiscing is different from revisiting mementos of deceased loved ones.
Through reminiscing, the participants think of the memories with the deceased person, either
doing this with their relatives or alone, but in the latter, some objects were involved.
Revisited mementos of deceased loved ones. In this minor theme, the deceased’s
belongings hold emotional power over the participants. Usually, they are doing this right after
their loved one passes away. They are keeping their belongings to remind them of the presence
of their loved ones. One participant even sent a message to their loved one’s Facebook account,
and they even downloaded photos of them. Not just that, someone visited their loved one’s house
when they missed them. For example, “P8” (57 years old, female) stated that:
Yung mga gamit nyang mahahalaga, kasi may huling sinabi daw sya doon sa kapatid ko.
Yung mga gamit nya na yun, ako talaga yung nag ayos. Sa kapatid kong walang asawa,
doon ko pinagbibigay lahat ng mga gamit nya. May kinuha din kaming parang
remembrance din namin parang mga daster nya. Nandoon samin, ginagamit namin para
naalala namin sya lago. ‘Yung bag nya na nandon lahat ng IDs nya, nasa akin yun.
One of the funeral practices here in the Philippines is putting the deceased person's things
in their casket. However, when the pandemic hit us, this practice was set aside because funeral
rights were banned, and the only option was to cremate the deceased person the moment they
passed away. Thus, the belongings stayed with the family, making them easily revisit their times
with their loved ones.

Humor as a coping mechanism. According to Bob Griggs of the National Alliance on
Mental Health, humor can be used to take depression down a notch, as a way to tell the truth, and
to cope if we use it in the right way. We all know that Filipinos are known to be good jokers. We
always find a way to make the situation light even if we are already facing something that is not
good. The participants used humor despite losing someone. They usually joke around with their
relatives. “P7” (22 years old, female) told that “naiisip nila na nagbibiruan na nga lang na “paano
nandito si nanay?” ganun. Pero hindi mo naman sila makikitaan na super ano sila. Hindi naman
sa okay lang pero siguro life goes on lang din siguro ang iniisip nila.”
One uses this as a coping mechanism to relieve the stress brought by what happened to
them. Instead of dwelling on the sadness, the participants decided to find humor in their
situations
Resiliency. Being resilient has been one of the major characteristics of Filipinos. We
have shown how resilient we are during the COVID-19 pandemic; we easily pick ourselves up in
tough situations. Like losing a loved one, they showed a strong mentality regardless of what
happened to them. They did not let the situation hinder them from continuing their own lives.
Participants have the urge to face what happened, move forward and accept things the way it is.
“P5” (22 years old, female) shared that “kase may mga bagay ka ring dapat intindihin eh. May
mga bago na nandito na dapat naming ituloy gawin, na parang if we settle with that grief, we will
not finish anything at all.”
The good thing with this coping mechanism is that participants learned to accept what
happened to their loved ones, but the downside is that some participants were forced to set aside
their emotions. They think that they need to settle things as quickly as possible when the truth is
that grieving is a long process, and you need to deal with those emotions.
Making their selves busy and being productive. When someone dies, people realize that
they do not know how to continue or start their lives again. According to the data that we have
gathered, half of the respondents’ coping mechanism is making themselves busy and productive.
To cope with losing someone, respondents make themselves so busy that they will forget that
they are dwelling. Either they will engage themselves with new activities or push themselves to
keep doing their tasks. They are purposely keeping themselves busy, so they will not feel the
sadness or they will not remember their loved ones. Some of them expressed that they do not
want to stop what they are doing, not even for a second, because they are afraid that the thought
of their loved ones might cross their minds. Best sample to this is what “P6” (20 years old,
female) stated that:
So hinahayaan kong ma-busy...sobrang ma-busy yung sarili ko kase ayaw kong maisip,
ayaw kong magkaroon ng even a second na wala kong ginagawa kase bigla kong siyang
maiisip kase feeling ko doon ako...doon ko mas naaalala yung sakit na naramdaman ko
before.
Keeping oneself busy might only work short-term. It does not guarantee that participants
will fully recover from grieving. It might be a good thing because they are still functioning and
can do those activities despite what happened, but the downside is that participants continuously
disregard their emotions.
Optimism and positive attitude. When someone is grieving, it is perfectly fine to be sad
or not okay, but in this coping mechanism, the participants tried to shift their negative emotions
into a positive one. Instead of being sad while grieving, they decided to become optimistic about
the loss. Usually, one of the participants’ thoughts is that the deceased person is in a better place
now than when they were still alive. “P7” (22 years old, female) mentioned “Inisip nalang din
kasi namin na kung nandito sya, nahihirapan nalang din sya. Napapagod na rin sya kakapunta ng
doktor. Iniisip nalang namin na mas mabuting nakapag pahinga nalang din sya ganoon.”
One of the participants even mentioned that maybe this was God’s plan. So, they just
accepted what happened to their loved ones. “P1” (35 years old, male) told that “...siguro kaloob
ni Lord ‘yon na, do’n siya kuhanin. Nag-ano lang kami, positive thinking... Iyon ang naging ano
namin na positive. ‘Yung lakas namin binigay lang namin kay Lord.” Also, another participant,
“P2” (29 years old, female), said that even if they lost someone, there are still alive people
despite the COVID-19 situation. Specifically, she mentioned that “may nawala man, may natira
pa naman.”
Sociological Facet
The second major theme is named “Sociological Facet” because this component includes
external factors (i.e., social support) that can affect a bereaved person’s thoughts, feelings, and
behaviors. It also includes the impact of grieving experiences during this pandemic on their
immediate social environment (i.e., family). Specifically, there are two (2) sub-major themes
under this facet, namely (1) Social Support and (2) Family Dynamics. Each sub-major theme is
thoroughly explained in the succeeding sections.
Social Support. This theme—social support—refers to the external assistance (e.g.,
interpersonal relationships) bereaved individuals receive to facilitate their grief and bereavement.
The interpretative data analysis yielded four (4) minor themes under the category of social
support. The minor themes are presented and explained in Table 7.

Table 7
Different Types of Social Support

Showing social/emotional support and empathy
It refers to the ability to emotionally grasp what “what I dreaded the most while I was
people are feeling, work out things from their walking towards my relatives is
perspective, and place oneself in their shoes. ‘yung ano ... ‘yung magiging
Understanding their grief and the pain they are feelings nila. ... So, parang I set
going through aid people around them in aside my grief first, para ma-cater
determining the appropriate course of action to ko kung ano ‘yung magiging
offer support and assistance. emotion nila during that time.” (P5)
Strong family ties as a form of social support
Participants demonstrated that people who share the “Cinomfort naming (pamilya) ‘yung
identical experience of losing a loved one isa’t isa kasi may mga uncle pa ako
understood each other's feelings. This implies that na nagdadalamhati pa talaga
good communication between family members is hanggang ngayon as in hindi pa rin
useful to deal with and overcome traumatic nila inaakala na wala na si tatay.”
experiences like death.participants even went to (P3)
where their loved ones used to live.
Close personal relationship as a form of social support
Strong connections outside the family aid people in “Actually, buti nandito ‘yung
making a robust web to address the toughest girlfriend ko. Siya ‘yung nag-
challenges in life. Social networks offer any comfort sa akin during nung nawala
partnership that satisfies the style of people’s lolo ko. … Pero ‘yung nakatulong
physical and emotional demands. It suggests that talaga sa akin is ‘yung girlfriend ko
interpersonal relationships make people feel that talaga.” (P3)
they are not alone in managing these experiences.
Social support from social media
Social media became an extension, a large platform “’Yung iba nagme-message. ‘Yung
to remain connected with people and provide help iba directly ‘yung tulong, pag
and support to bereaved individuals. On the nadaan sila ganon. ‘Yung iba
condition that social media is a bridge to others, it nagbigay ng financial and social
plays a vital role in facilitating grief. support ganyan.” (P7)
Showing social/emotional support and empathy. Empathy is more than just
understanding what others are going through; it includes feeling it as if it was their own. It is the
link between oneself and others since it is how people comprehend what others are dealing
through as if we are dealing through it ourselves. It is an active attempt to think beyond ourselves
and apart from our own concerns. One participant said that instead of prioritizing her grief, she
set aside those feelings to accommodate those closer to the dead. In challenging times like losing
a loved one, showing emotional compassion to others build stronger interpersonal relationships,
reduce tensions, and minimize distressing emotions. “P5” (22 years old, female) also stated that:
What I dreaded the most while I was walking towards my relatives is yung ano ... yung
magiging feelings nila.kase sila yung anak, sila yung talagang close. So parang I set aside
my grief first, para ma-cater ko kung ano yung magiging emotion nila during that time.
It should be noted that people who can truly feel and understand their emotional state are
important in offering social support. It is a significant factor in assessing what other people are
dealing with. In times of uncertainty, self-blame is inevitable. People tend to be hard on
themselves, especially when they are in a situation they cannot control. In fact, “P1” (35 years
old, male) mentioned that “ngayon ‘yung kinaharap namin ‘yun na kung pa’no sabihin na hindi,
hindi ikaw ‘yung may mali ro’n sa sitwasyon na ‘yon. Kaya ayon nga ang sinasabi namin na may
plan si God.”
Strong family ties as a form of social support. In difficult times, familial and social
support has the most significant role in dealing with grief. The first line of social support comes
from the family. Being surrounded by people who share the same experiences, battling with the
same grief and bereavement is the most effective way to cope with the loss. Family members
serve as companions who look out and support each other, an anchor they can rely on while
dealing with bereavement. “P3” (21 years old, male) emphasized that “cinomfort namin
(pamilya) ‘yung isa’t isa kasi may mga uncle pa ako na nagdadalamhati pa talaga hanggang
ngayon as in hindi pa rin nila inaakala na wala na si tatay.”

As families grieve together, their relationships grow stronger. Effective communication
between family members is a defensive factor from further psychological problems. After death,
families must have a chance to acknowledge and recognize their grief. It is usual for families to
grieve together, share the same thoughts, open up regarding their feelings, and reminisce the
memories of the dead. According to “P8” (57 years old, female), “noong first month nya, ayun
para kaming mga tanga. Naglulupon-lupon kami (family) doon sa catgas. Naguusap-usap.
Naalala talaga namin sya.”
Close personal relationships as a form of social support. Humans are considered social
animals. Humans need to interact, share, and exchange feelings and thoughts. Unfortunately, the
mandates of the pandemic on social distancing caused people to have a hard time seeking
support from close friends and people outside the first line of social support, which is the family.
Strong connections outside the family aid people in making a robust web to address the toughest
challenges in life. “P3” (21 years old, male) told that “actually, buti nandito ‘yung girlfriend ko.
Siya ‘yung nag-comfort sa akin during nung nawala lolo ko.… Pero ‘yung nakatulong talagasa
akin is ‘yung girlfriend ko talaga.”
Extended personal relationships aside from families such as partners, friends, and
community provide the support that meets the physical and emotional needs of the bereaved
individuals. It implies that interpersonal relationships let people feel as if they are not alone in
dealing with these emotions. Sample of this is what “P6” (20 years old, female) mentioned that
“marami kase siguro dahil sa friends ko rin, sa number of friends ko rin. Super friedly
ko...aminado naman ako na talagang ang dami rin talagang sumuporta sa akin non.”
Social support from social media. During the pandemic, where face-to-face interaction is
limited, if not, is entirely prohibited, social media is the only way of communication. It is the
only platform where the bereaved can access the support needed to cope with the death. In the
digital age, where most people have access to various social media platforms, social media
became a tool to expand people’s social connections virtually. Participants pointed out that
messages they received from people helped them aid their grief. Nevertheless, having an
extended, wider range of support systems from families to social networks plays a significant
role in facilitating the grief of bereaved individuals. “P9” (24 years old, female) said that
“malaking tulong din yung mga nagsesend ng text at chat ng pakikiramay. Kahit papaano
nakakagaan din ng pakiramdam.”
Family Dynamics. This component—family dynamics—is composed of patterns of
emotional and social interactions with other family members and relatives after the death of their
loved ones. The focal point of interpretation here is on participants’ comparisons of their pre-and
post-death relationships with other family members. The interpretative data analysis yielded two
(2) minor themes under this category, which were presented and explained in Table 8.
Table 8
Family Dynamics After the Death of their Loved Ones

Family estrangement after the death of a loved one
Family estrangement—the loss of previously “Kaya nung namatay siya, parang
existing family relationships through physical or biglang nabuwag, parang biglang
emotional distancing—is relatively common naputol, na to the point na, ‘yung
among the samples. They became emotionally ibang family members hindi na
and physically distant from other family members nagkakamustahan, hindi na umuwi
after the death of their loved ones. They describe dito nung new year. Parang hiwa-
their relationship as “very different from what hiwalay na kami.” (P5)
they are used to.”
Stronger family ties after the death of a loved one

They expressed that their family ties are stronger “Ay okay kami. Sobrang okay kami.
than before; after the deceased person passed Mas okay kesa noong buhay pa.
away, they spend more time together, and they Kasi syempre nararamdaman
better understand each other now. The deceased naman namin na kahit wala na
person’s passing made them realize that they ‘yung nanay namin, kailangan
should be more emotionally connected now than magkaisa-isa pa rin kami.” (P8)
ever because they only have each other’s backs.
Family estrangement after the death of a loved one. Family estrangement—the loss of
previously existing family relationships through physical or emotional distancing—is relatively
common among the samples. They become emotionally and physically distant from other family
members after the death of their loved ones. They describe their relationship as “very different
from what they are used to.” Unlike before, their relatives stop coming over when there is a
special celebration in their households. Most of them expressed that the deceased person is the
one who binds the family together; the moment they die, “something” is shattered, and the pillars
suddenly collapse. The family dynamic changed because many conflicts rose after the person
passed away. For example, “P5” (22 years old, female) mentioned that “kaya nung namatay siya,
parang biglang nabuwag, parang biglang naputol, na to the point na, yung ibang family members
hindi na nagkakamustahan, hindi na umuwi dito nung new year. Parang hiwa-hiwalay na kami.”
One participant also experienced family estrangement through physical distancing. She
expressed that instead of living in a household where she needed to conform with everybody, she
rather moved out and lived independently and free from toxicity. Moving out is a relief because
living with her family member without her mother stresses her out. Living away from your
relatives is one example of family estrangement through physical distancing. “P5” (22 years old,
female) stated that “ang naisip nalang na gawin ng mga kuya ko na lumipat kami. Kasi nakaka
stress kung sama-sama. Iintindihin mo lahat. May tamad, may ganun ka talagang kasama sa
bahay. Ang naisip nalang namin ay maghiwa-hiwalay nalang ng tirahan.”
Family estrangement, either through physical or emotional distancing, is found among
the participants; however, the causes of this phenomenon remained unknown. Further research is
ideal for determining the causal factors of family estrangement after the death of loved ones. It is
too early to conclude the possible changes in family dynamics when someone in one household
died during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Stronger ties with the family after the death of a loved one. In contrast with family
estrangement, stronger family ties may also happen after the death of a loved one. They
expressed that their family ties are stronger than before; after the deceased person passed away,
their relatives who live far away or abroad came over to commemorate their loved ones. They
spend more time together, and they better understand each other now. The deceased person’s
passing made them realize that they should be more emotionally connected now than ever
because they only have each other’s backs. “P7” (22 years old, female) stated that “parang
nagkasundo-sundo din kami. Yung parang mako-compare mo nga noong buhay si nanay, hindi
kami ganto e. Parang mas nagkasundo sundo kami ngayon.”
One participant has gone through a seemingly interesting experience. Participant 7, as
mentioned in the previous paragraphs, first experienced family estrangement through physical
distancing after the death of her mother. She decided to move out of their old house. However,
after months of bereavement, she said that her relationship with her other family members is
stronger now than before; her mother’s death was a significant event that made them more
connected.
Like family estrangement, the causes of stronger family ties after the death of a loved
love remain unknown, and further research is necessary to identify the causal factors. The same
goes for the dual changes in dynamics that happened with P7. Family is an immediate social unit,
and since social support can facilitate a person’s grieving experiences, a positive familial
environment may benefit the bereaved individual. Identifying the causal factors that affect the
changes in family dynamics (i.e., estrangement or stronger ties) may be useful and significant for
the field.
Discussion
Research Question 1
The qualitative data analysis yielded several themes that best described Filipinos’
grieving and bereavement experiences and how they are coping with the loss of their loved ones.
In terms of the first research question (i.e., how are Filipinos grieving the death of loved ones
under the restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic?), the analysis revealed that there are affective,
behavioral, and cognitive components happening within the bereaved individual during their
bereavement period. Differences in family dynamics were also observed after the death of a
loved one.
Affective Components
Affective components refer to the emotions and emotional reactions stemming from a
person’s bereavement experiences during this pandemic. The participants in this study have
guilts, regrets, and resentments. Most of them grieved alone, experienced episodes of disrupted
mood, and felt the absence of presence of their loved ones during special moments (e.g.,
birthdays and holidays).

Due to the physically and socially isolating pandemic, the grief process of the bereaved
individuals was affected. The bereaved participants suffered grieving alone. Bereaved people
were “forced” to grieve alone due to social distancing, travel restrictions, and self-isolation
(Selman et al., 2021). The participants were physically isolated from their families because of
quarantine protocols, while others were socially isolated, brought on by their complicated grief.
Because of their grief, they also tend to experience episodes of disrupted moods. Uncertainty and
social distancing change people’s behaviors, impacting their feelings, daily habits, and social
relationships, which are core elements of human well-being (Boursier et al., 2020). Because of
these occurrences, the participants found it hard to accept the reality of losing their loved ones.
This led them to feel the absence of the presence of the deceased.
In addition to mourning over potential health scares or fatal outcomes, many are already
grieving the anticipated losses of major milestones or events, such as graduations, family
reunions, and weddings (Bertuccio & Runion, 2020). They also find it difficult to fill in the roles
of the deceased in their lives. Whenever they think of them, they often feel guilt and regret.
There may be regret over the missed opportunity to “be there” in those final moments. (Breen,
2020) The unbearable pain of loss caused the bereaved families to feel resentment. Resentment
no longer refers to the recall of sentiments in general but only to negative sentiments relating to
grievances, injuries, patterns of unfair treatment, and more generally unjustified harsh treatment
at the hands of others. Even with this specification, resentment remains a complex emotion,
which has been hypothesized to be a tertiary emotion with the primary components of anger,
surprise, and disgust, and the secondary components of outrage (anger & surprise), contempt
(anger & disgust), and shock (surprise & disgust; TenHouten, 2018).
Behavioral Components
The behavioral component in the context of this study is defined as the bereaved
individual’s behaviors and actions affected by the death of a loved one during the COVID-19
pandemic. They find it even harder to deliver the news regarding the death of their relatives. The
health protocols prohibited their actions, and they experienced a lack of contact and not seeing
the deceased after death pronouncement. These behavioral restrictions made their grieving
emotionally and mentally more challenging. These reinforced the feelings of confusion and
shock that stemmed from not being able to have any closure on the death of their loved one by
not seeing them one last time.
The restrictions caused by the pandemic hindered people from seeing their family,
relatives, and friends who live far and miles away. This pandemic also caused casualties in
which bereaved people could not see their loved ones forever. Because of these instances, lack of
contact and not seeing the deceased after death pronouncement happens to people. This lack of
contact at the time of death, often combined with the sudden and unexpected nature of COVID-
19 deaths, intensified the sense of loss and pain. Death experiences were described as
“traumatic,” depicted as “nightmares,” and were associated with severe anxiety and feelings of
panic. The inability to visit or say goodbye left many people with intense sadness and guilt that
they could not be there to comfort and support their relatives (Torrens-Burton et al., 2022). The
sudden death of a loved one leaves the bereaved individuals shocked.
To be a bearer of this bad news to family and friends is difficult. The bereaved person did
not know how to deliver the news. According to Reed et al. (2015), delivering bad news is a
source of considerable stress. Telling a death pronouncement reminds them of their loss and
pain. Furthermore, they also feel confused upon learning about the death of their loved ones
because they are not allowed to see their corpse due to the prohibition caused by the pandemic.
Others’ guilt was tied to how COVID-19 restrictions impacted their loved ones’ end of life: not
being there for their loved one in the last moments of life, not being able to visit before their
loved one died, or attending the funeral. Some guilt continued to evolve with the pandemic:
being forced to socially distance, unable to travel, making decisions based on vaccinations, or
being prohibited from typical end-of-life environments (e.g., hospitals and nursing homes;
Scheinfeld et al., 2021)
Cognitive Components
Along with affective and behavioral components, the sample population universally
experienced many cognitive components. These refer to the thought processes, state of mind, and
pattern of thinking that arise from the experiences of bereaved individuals during the COVID-19
pandemic.
Participants experienced unexpected death. According to Field & Filanosky (2009), the
experience of someone not seeing their loved ones before they pass away makes it hard for the
bereaved person to rationalize what happened. This pattern of events can place someone in a
position wherein they will find it hard to accept the situation. The participants also experienced
denial. Fernandez & Falcon (2021) state that, in mourning, the bereaved person can be stuck at it
if they never had the chance to bid goodbye or even see the corpse. This happening can result in
searching for their loved ones.
One of the observed behaviors, when someone is grieving is difficulty concentrating
(O’Connor & Frances, 2019). The participants experienced this wherein they went mind-
blanking. They lose their conscious awareness. Not seeing their loved ones’ corpses after dying
made it impossible to go through a grieving process (Worden, 2009). Thus, participants were
forced to accept what happened. They have this mindset that “it is what it is.” Everything is not
under their control. During the pandemic, the grieving process of the mourners was affected.
They do not immediately start the grieving process because this setup is relatively novel to them
(Fernandez & Falcon, 2021). Hence, there was also a delay in realization.
Family Dynamics
Differences in family dynamics—the patterns of emotional and social interactions with
other family members and relatives—were observed after the death of a loved one. Family
estrangement is relatively common among the samples; they became emotionally and physically
distant from other family members. In contrast, stronger family ties were also found among the
participants; after their relatives passed away, they spent more time with their families, and they
better understand each other now. The antecedents of this discrepancy in terms of family
dynamics remain unknown and are beyond this study’s scope and purpose.
As the basic unit of society, a family has undergone many changes following the death of
a loved one. In the present study, dealing with grief and bereavement could either build a
stronger family unit or cause the loss of the existing family relationship, leading to estrangement.
Participants stated that some family members became emotionally and physically aloof and
distant from each other after the death. It includes isolating themselves to deal with the grief
alone. Studies about family estrangement suggested that cross-generational detachment is a
reasonably prevalent phenomenon in later-life families (Gilligan & Pillemer, 2021). Individuals
who isolate themselves from their loved ones to overcome their grief may experience emotional
distress or feel disconnected, contributing to the deterioration of physical and mental health
(Cacioppo et al., 2015; Killgore et al., 2020; as cited in Walsh, 2020).

Contrary to family estrangement, most participants affirmed that relationships between
family members became stronger after losing their loved ones. As the need to follow the
COVID-19 health protocols, families have no choice but to stay at home and spend time doing
things together, which magnifies family participation and engagement in one’s life (Azarian,
2020; as cited in Ahmed et al., 2020). In the present study, participants stated that following the
death of their loved ones, they had a chance to spend more time together, leading to a better
understanding of one another and rebuilding a stronger emotional attachment towards each other
while memorializing and reminiscing the memories of the dead.
Research Question 2
Regarding the second research question (i.e., how are Filipinos coping with losing a
loved one during the COVID-19 pandemic?), the analysis revealed that bereaved people used
many different coping mechanisms during their bereavement period. They also received different
forms of social support from their environment.
Coping Mechanism
The participants were very resilient, optimistic, and had positive attitudes. Coping
through reminiscing and revisiting mementos of the deceased were common among the sample.
They also find humor as a way to cope with the loss, and they often make themselves busy or
become productive to distract themselves from what happened.
Reminiscing can help a person relieve their stress. It can also produce positive feelings
and enhance the well-being of a person (Speer & Delgado, 2019). The participant copes with the
loss by reminiscing whenever they miss their loved ones; it fills the void they feel. Keeping
mementos in memory of loved ones dates back to 2000 years ago; the belongings of their loved
ones hold an emotional power (Buster, 2021). When the pandemic hits us, the bereaved person
kept some of their loved ones’ things. This behavior helped them to cope with the situation.
Furthermore, according to Griggs (2020), humor can be used as a coping mechanism, but
this should be used correctly. As Filipinos, we are known to be good jokers. Even when the
participants were grieving, they used humor as a coping mechanism. Being resilient also helps an
individual become better at dealing with stress in the future; it is coping positively with adversity
(Skodol, 2010). In this situation, the participant used this as a coping mechanism in order for
them to move forward and not let the situation affect their whole lives. Another coping
mechanism that the participants used was making themselves busy and being productive. While
this may sound good because it means they are continuing their usual thing, according to Henry
(2015), keeping oneself busy might only work short-term. It does not guarantee that the
participant will fully recover from grieving. Lastly, bereaved people are typically optimistic and
have positive attitudes. Optimism has two correlated concepts: the inclination toward hope and
the belief that we live in “the best of all possible worlds” (Conversano et al., 2010). Participants
shifted their mindset to positive; instead of being sad, they chose to become optimistic.
Social Support
Social support—the external assistance bereaved individuals receive to facilitate their
grief and bereavement—helped them during difficult times. However, many forms of social
support are observed within the sample population. Stronger family ties and being with
significant others are interpersonal relationships that make the bereaved person feel not alone in
managing their experiences. Good communication between family members or significant others
helps deal with and overcome traumatic experiences like death.

Interestingly, not only did they receive social support, but they also became one to their families.
They can emotionally grasp what people are feeling, work out things from their perspective, and
place themselves in their shoes. Social support from social media was also common; it became
an extension, a large platform to remain connected with people and provide help and support to
bereaved individuals.
During a socially isolating phenomenon where there is a need to connect and reconnect
with others, social support from various sources (e.g., families, friends, and social networks) has
been beneficial in facilitating and mitigating the complicated grief process of the bereaved
individuals. Studies suggest that family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors are typical
sources of social support, which may take many forms (e.g., emotional, informational,
instrumental; Aoun et al., 2018). Previous studies postulated that psychological resources such as
perceived social support remarkably alleviate complex grief and bereavement (Cao et al., 2020;
Schwartz et al., 2018; Vegsund et al., 2019). It should be noted that participants of the study
stated that these relationships served as a foundation on whom they could rely in situations like
losing a loved one. According to Bottomley et al. (2017), social support acts as a buffer system
against psychosocial distress by lowering bereavement manifestations and facilitating
psychological adaptability following the death of a loved one.
Participants stated that family members, who act as the first line of social support, played
a significant role in dealing and coping with their grief because they share the same experiences
and battle the same situation. Bereaved participants understand what other family members are
dealing with better than anyone else. Qualitative studies by Brunelli et al. (2016) found that
social support plays a crucial role in adjusting to life following the death of a loved one.
Participants of the present study noted that reconnecting with and reaching out to other grieving
family members and friends has been beneficial in facilitating their grief.
In today’s digital world, social media has been a big part of our daily lives; it has become
a bridge to connect further or stay connected with other people. Intimate connections and
physical comfort obtained from interpersonal relationships are the sorts of social support most
closely linked with positive mental health outcomes (Yao et al., 2015). However, due to the
restriction of COVID-19, there has been a limit on physical and face-to-face contact with the
bereaved. The participants stated that emotional support messages they received from their peers
on social media made them feel that they were not alone. Social media, in general, became an
extension to offer social support bereaved who needed to accommodate the physical and
emotional demands following the death.
Conclusion
The components under the “Psychological Facet” are interrelated dimensions that
bereaved people go through during their grieving process. It was somehow similar to the idea of
the ABC Model of Attitude used by many social psychologists to understand human beings’
subjective realities. The death of a loved one is the core event that impacts this mechanism.
Specifically, cognitive components stemmed from how they perceived the death of their
relatives, and this aspect also tells us about the mental state of a bereaved person throughout their
grieving process. Whatever their cognitive components are, those definitely affected how they
felt during those challenging situations. This was the time when the affective components came
into the picture. Their emotions were based on how they perceived their situations; the feelings
and emotions are subjective and relative from person to person. Furthermore, their emotions and
thoughts also affected how they acted, behaved, and responded to the situation.
Indeed, this mechanism is a vicious cycle; each element intensifies and aggravates one
another and will only worsen their condition. If not appropriately facilitated, this might even
result in the development of complicated grief, just like what is depicted in the conceptual
framework of this study. Fortunately, bereaved people have adaptive capabilities that help them
cope with their challenges. Their coping mechanisms took care of any problematic psychological
elements for them to adapt to the situations successfully. By doing so, the person unconsciously
catalyzed their own adaptive coping.
In addition, social support, especially emotional comfort, can be received from various
sources such as families, close personal relationships, friends, or others. Dealing with grief can
be challenging without these social connections and can make people vulnerable to physical and
mental health risks. Indeed, good communication and staying connected with people who can
offer support and assistance play a significant role in overcoming psychological distress and
traumatic experiences. Moreover, disconnection with family members who can supply emotional
support in trying times can lead to further mental health problems. The absence of emotional
connection and physical distancing from families can aggravate the situation and result in severe
emotional pain and distress. However, families who spend their time together and share their
thoughts and feelings are said to have a stronger emotional bond. It can facilitate the
development of a solid partnership between family members that can gratify the style of people’s
affective demands.
In conclusion, there are psychological and sociological facets involved in the experiences
of bereaved individuals during this pandemic. A multidimensional view of their situations is
crucial for us to fully understand and comprehend the entirety and very nature of their
experiences. People need to acknowledge these multifaceted experiences in all decisions and
actions that will affect the grieving people themselves. All the knowledge presented in this study
will help craft policies, psychosocial interventions, programs, and treatments that will benefit the
concerned population.
Experiencing the death of a loved one is painful. If there are things that we can do to
alleviate the situation of a grieving person, we must do it immediately, knowledgeably, and
cautiously. We must never forget the phrase that Nora McInerny once said, “we do not move on
from grief; we move forward with it.”
Limitations
The study was conducted during the pandemic and encountered several restrictions.
Because of strict protocols, data gathering was only conducted through online interviews and
telephone calls. This may be an issue as there is a significant difference in participants answering
questions in person than answering via telephone communications/online platforms.
Another limitation of the study is time constraints. Although the study provided results
about the effect of the pandemic on bereaved people, it can still be expanded upon greatly. It can
be said that some participants are still in mourning, and thus their grief is still fresh. This grief
can affect their answers to the researchers’ questions. By having more time to measure the
relationship between the pandemic and the grievances of bereaved people, a more in-depth result
can be garnered from the study. Some participants also tend to give short answers about their
experiences in grieving during the pandemic.
Lastly, the scope of the study only focuses on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic
among bereaved Filipinos; it is thus limited to Filipino culture only.

Recommendations
Participants of this study encountered significant mental shock from the traumatic event,
which may be one of the antecedents of their denial, mind-blanking, and delayed realization.
Nevertheless, further research is needed to validate the causal relationship between
unexpected/sudden death and the said effects (i.e., denial, mind-blanking, and delayed
realization).
Furthermore, differences in family dynamics were also observed after the death of a
loved one. The antecedents for this discrepancy remain unknown and are beyond this study’s
scope and purpose. Thus, future research should focus more on identifying the factors that lead
to these differences.
Indeed, grieving is relative from person to person. However, when dealing with complex
emotions like grief, the bereavement period must be considered to limit the potential factors that
might affect the analysis—specifically, a shorter bereavement period when sampling for
potential participants is more appropriate and fitting. Nevertheless, upholding ethical standards
in all decisions is still a must. Given an existing problem, it may be better not to do something, or
even do nothing, than to risk causing more harm than good.
Moreover, because of the nature of the pandemic and its strict protocols, the researchers
recommend that future studies conduct data gathering via face-to-face interviews rather than
telephone communications and online platforms. This methodology can gather more data and
provide an expanded result as the researchers can take note of the participant’s nonverbal
communications, which can benefit the study.
Lastly, the results of this study are significant in many ways. Nevertheless, replication of
this study is encouraged to establish its reliability and generalizability. Using samples from a
different culture, a shorter or longer bereavement period, and a different data gathering
procedure are the few things future researchers may change. A more in-depth face-to-face
interview process with multiple sessions is highly recommended to gather more important data.
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GRIEVING DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC 1

Mourning In Isolation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis on the Grieving

Experiences of Bereaved Filipinos During the COVID-19 Pandemic

John Kenneth Q. Padel, Ira Joie M. De Jesus, John Louiz N. Martin,

Alyssandra Joyce S. Cosme, and Matthew A. Pitogo

College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Bataan Peninsula State University

We have no conflict of interest to disclosed. This research is funded by the Department of

suggestions, and never-ending patience during the entire research process.

Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to John Kenneth Q. Padel,

Purok II, Doña, Orani, Bataan 2112, Philippines. Email: [email protected]

Keywords: grieving, bereavement, COVID-19 pandemic, coping mechanism,

interpretative phenomenological analysis

Mourning In Isolation: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis on the Grieving

Experiences of Bereaved Filipinos During the Covid-19 Pandemic

capabilities” of the bereaved individuals (Scheinfeld et al., 2021, p. 18).

pandemic. Although grief is a normal process, it sometimes becomes prolonged or complicated,

pandemic/epidemic itself (Shigemura et al., 2020; Reardon, 2015). Undoubtedly, grieving

emerge during a pandemic (Joaquim et al., 2021).

imposes (Aaslund, 2021).

by the current pandemic (Scheinfeld et al., 2021; Corpuz, 2021).

experiences of bereaved Filipinos during the COVID-19 pandemic by localizing and

experienced the actual phenomenon.

Four-Components Model of the Grieving Process

enhanced, recovery and healing are most likely to happen.

Dual-Process Model (DPM) of Coping with Bereavement

two is vital for adaptive coping (Boerner, 2015).

Related Literature and Studies

a person (Yap et al., 2021).

Likewise, grief is a layer of emotional and biopsychosocial reactions to bereavement

affecting their development to adulthood (Andreissen et al., 2017).

security, and access to necessities and support” (p. S85).

are subjected to restrictions on funeral practices, such as immediate cremation, limitations on

individuals to share their psychological suffering through social communication platforms

(Morris et al., 2020).

the pandemic (Eisma and Tamminga, 2020).

experiencing more long-term effects of the death of a loved one.

Conceptual Framework on Complicated Grief Process

Note: The conceptual framework is a visual representation of the phenomenon formulated

according to the review of related literature and studies.

overwhelmingly provided to the bereaved families.

Methods and Techniques of the Study

Population and Sample of the Study

ceremonies that commemorate the loss of their loved ones.

Data Gathering Procedure

Profile of the Participants

and period of bereavement.

Personal Profile of the Participants

Participant Code Sex Age Period of Bereavement

As indicated in Table 1, 10 bereaved individuals participated in this study. In terms of age

participants. Furthermore, the average period of bereavement of all the participants is

people with more than one year of bereavement period.

Thematic Table Yielded by the IPA

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACET SOCIOLOGICAL FACET

Resiliency Social support

Mechanisms. Each sub-major theme is thoroughly explained in the succeeding sections.

Affective Components. Affect refers to the feelings we experience as part of our

The minor themes are presented and explained in Table 3.

Affective Components of the Bereavement Experiences

Themes and description Example quote