Factors influencing grief in college students: A structural equation modeling analysis

This study used Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate factors influencing past and present grief among 2,167 Peruvian undergraduate students after the COVID-19 pandemic. While the pandemic’s impact on student mental health is documented, this research addresses a gap by analyzing the interplay among sociodemographic variables, contextual factors (death and non-death losses), and psychological mechanisms, specifically grief-related irrational beliefs and coping strategies. Results indicated that grief-related distress was elevated among women and students who had experienced caregiver loss, COVID-19 infection, or financial/academic setbacks. Grief correlated directly with irrational beliefs and coping strategies such as cognitive reappraisal and emotional overload, whereas support seeking showed an inverse correlation on grief. The structural model demonstrated adequate fit (CFI = 0.962; TLI = 0.964; RMSEA = 0.061; SRMR = 0.071), supporting the hypothesized relationships among variables. These pandemic losses and psychological mechanisms determine grief intensity, underscoring the vital need for specific grief support programs.