College Student Grief, Grief Differences, Family Communication, and Family Satisfaction

Although family grief communication has received solid research attention, few studies have examined how communication about grief differences among family members may relate to college students' grief experiences and family satisfaction. Online survey data were collected from emerging adults attending college (n = 335) at a large Midwestern university and analyzed using hierarchical multiple regressions. Findings indicated that family communication about grief differences was positively associated with family satisfaction but was not related to individual grief reactions. This study contributes to the understanding of family grief communication among college students and offers implications for student affairs personnel working with grieving college students.