In recent months The Ely Centre Health and Well Being Service, under the leadership of Dr Art O’Malley have been working with Queens University Belfast exploring Complicated Grief.
A research study by Mrs Shauna Mc Elroy,a PhD student from the Trauma Research Group, School of Social Science, Education and Social Work at Queen’s University Belfast.
Mrs McElroys research is focused on developing our understanding of complicated grief associated with conflict related bereavement in Northern Ireland.
The key aim of the study is to uncover the key factors implicated in the maintenance of the condition, so that improved screening and treatment of the condition may be implemented in the future.
What is Complicated Grief?
Bereavement is something we will all face at some point in our lives and can result in painful symptoms of acute grief. Usually this acute phase will ease, leading to a restoration of satisfactory, if changed, life and such grief does not need clinical intervention. However, sometimes acute grief does not ease with time and some bereaved people can experience long term difficulties stemming from their loss. At present, we do not fully understand how people are affected by bereavement that is linked to conflict and violence.
Therefore, this study is particularly interested in those who have been bereaved, due to the conflict in Northern Ireland, in order that we can fully understand how such losses impact on those who have been bereaved.
Over the coming weeks the Health and Well Being Team will be identifying potential participants who may be willing to work alongside Mrs McElroy.
But this is open to all members particularly those who have been bereaved as a result of the Troubles and will be helping us more fully understand complicated grief reactions in those who have been violently bereaved, which will enable us to develop more informed approaches to understanding and helping those who have been bereaved in such a manor.
If you would like further information or would like to participate within this study
Please contact Dr Art O’Malley email art@elycentre.co.uk or a member of the HWB team.