Keynote 16 - From Theory to Practice: Understanding Grief and Healing in Chinese Bereavement

Within the Chinese cultural context, bereavement exhibits distinctive emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social characteristics. For parents who have lost their child, grief not only brings profound pain but also destabilizes self-identity and disrupts life order; similar patterns are also observed among other bereaved groups. The grieving process is typically prolonged and complex, manifesting in cognitive distortions and attentional avoidance. Cultural beliefs-including filial piety, fate, and perceived stigma-further intensify feelings of responsibility and psychological burden, adding layers of complexity to grief. Family and social interactions play a dual role: spousal dynamics can serve as sources of support but also amplify distress, while connections with tongming ren (those who share the same loss) often provide genuine understanding and effective support through shared experience. Despite the challenges, some bereaved individuals gradually achieve recovery and even personal growth. Based on theoretical frameworks and empirical research, this presentation will illustrate the diverse trajectories of grief and recovery, explore the roles of cultural beliefs, cognitive processes, and social interactions in shaping bereavement experiences, and highlight the importance of developing culturally rooted interventions and support strategies to meet the needs of different bereaved populations.