Modern Bereavement: A Model for Complicated Grief in the Digital Age

Modern Bereavement: A Model for Complicated Grief in the Digital Age
Anna N. Baglione, Maxine M. Girard, Meagan Price, James Clawson, Patrick C. Shih

CHI '18: ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
Session: Coping with Mental Health Challenges

Abstract
The experience of grief and death is an inevitable part of life. Grief, a natural response to death, can be a challenging and emotionally taxing journey. Bereaved individuals often feel lost in a fog, unaware of resources available to them and unsure of which resources could be useful for supporting their healing process. Complicated grief, a more intense form of grief that extends beyond six months following the death of a loved one, presents both a unique challenge and a design opportunity for the HCI community. In this work, we present the results of a survey and interview study on the technological practices of complicated grievers. Based on themes found in the data, we propose a new model for complicated grief in the digital age, consisting of the following phases: Fog, Isolation, Exploration, Immersion, and Stabilization. We then present a set of design considerations for designers seeking to create tools for complicated grievers navigating their unique grief journeys.

Recorded at the ACM CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems in Montréal, Canada April 21-26, 2018