Abstract

Grief and addiction are typically associated with death and drugs. However, there are many types of non-death losses and behavioral addictions that are overlooked in research and daily living. The experiences of grief and addiction affect everyone, often at many points in their lifetime. College students are at particular risk for these factors, as many changes are occurring in their environment during these years. This research aims to explore the impact and relationship of grief and addiction on college students. The main hypothesis is that grief and addiction are positively correlated with one another. To study this, a survey was distributed to a randomized sample of 1,500 Eastern Kentucky University students. From the responses, over half of students reported significant non-death losses and behavioral addictions, which displays the influence of these events. Furthermore, there was a moderate, positive correlation between the addiction level and grief severity. In all, this research supports the idea that grief and addiction can amplify each other in a feedback loop. More awareness should be brought to these topics to support those who are struggling, as no one should feel alone in their battles.

Semester/Year of Award

Spring 2024

Mentor

Julie A. Lasslo

Mentor Department Affiliation

Health Promotion and Administration

Access Options

Open Access Thesis

Document Type

Article

Degree Name

Honors Scholars

Degree Level

Bachelors

Department

Health Promotion and Administration

IRB Approval Number (if applicable)

5638

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