Abstract
The purpose of the present study was to identify what impact social supportive networks, religion/spirituality, and continuing bonds had on Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) symptoms and the quality of life of bereaved African Americans. The sample consisted of 154 African American individuals who were 18 years of age or older that have experienced the loss of a loved one through death. Participants were recruited via Facebook, requests posted online, and requests sent through email. The present study found that the more PGD symptoms experienced by African American bereaved individuals, the lower their quality of life would be. Also, more perceived social support, utilization of less negative religious coping strategies, and use of less continuing bonds significantly predicted less PGD symptoms in African American bereaved individuals. Furthermore, more perceived social support and use of less negative religious coping strategies predicted a higher quality of life. Implications of the present study suggest that mental health professionals broaden their conceptualization of grief and loss as it relates to the African American community, gain a better understanding of the signs and symptoms of PGD, and become more aware of the protective factors utilized by grieving African Americans.