Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2013

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

College of Education and Human Services

Department

Curriculum & Instruction/Literacy Studies

Committee Chair

James Bartee

Committee Co-Chair

Jeffrey Daniels

Committee Member

Lisa Hamilton

Committee Member

Ed Jacobs

Committee Member

Monica Leppma

Abstract

This study explored the differences in loneliness and social inhibition between parentally bereaved and non-bereaved college students. Participants from West Virginia and Montana State universities were recruited through flyers, newspaper advertisements, and Craigslist.com. Those who volunteered were directed to a website to complete an online survey that included basic demographic information, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, and the Socially Inhibited subscale of the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems-64. Bereavement status (bereaved vs. non-bereaved) and gender of participant (male vs. female) were the independent variables in the study. Loneliness and social inhibition were the dependent variables. A MANOVA was conducted to explore the differences in loneliness and social inhibition among the independent variables. Based on this analysis, no significant differences were found between bereaved and non-bereaved young adults, nor where there gender differences among the bereaved sample. Several supplemental analyses were conducted, including a MANCOVA, bivariate correlations, secondary MANOVA, and a discriminant analysis. Results from the discriminant analysis revealed that the stage of adolescence young adults lost their parent should be given further theoretical, empirical, and clinical attention.

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