Table 2.
Characteristics of Studies for Inclusion in Narrative Synthesis
| Search engine | Authors | Sample size | Age | Gender | Key findings | Latino subgroup | Years in United States |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grief from a Cultural Lens | |||||||
| PubMed, Google Scholar, EBSCOHost | Hardy-Bougere (2008) | NR | NR | NR | Mourning rituals are essential to bereavement adjustment. | Mexico, Cuba, DR, Nicaragua, Columbia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Peru | NR |
| Google Scholar | Clements et al (2003) | NR | NR | NR | Significance of mourning rituals in Latino/a community. | NR | NR |
| EBSCOHost, Google Scholar, Scopus, CINAHL | Rosenblatt (2017) | NR | NR | NR | There are strong cultural differences in grief processes. | NR | NR |
| Latino Grief Experience | |||||||
| PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus | Brooten et al (2016) | N=63 | M=35.1, SD=9.0 | 70% female | Postdeath decision making for bereaved parents is especially distressing for immigrant parents with language barriers. | Mexico, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Colombia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, DR, Peru, Chilea | N/A |
| Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus | Smith et al (2009) | N=1 | NR | Female | Latino values regarding end-of-life care and bereavement influences quality of care. | Central America | NR |
| Cambridge Core, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL | Nuñez et al (2019) | N=29 | M=47.5, SD=14 | 48.3% female | Hospice staff need culturally competent training on importance of cultural values (simpatía, familismo) in Latino communities | NR | NR |
| Google Scholar, PsycNet | Grabowski and Frantz (1993) | N=100 | M=47, SD=NR | 69% female | Latinos who experienced an unexpected death had higher grief intensity than other groups. | Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Colombia, DR, El Salvador, Mexico, 6% NR | NR |
| Google Scholar | Diaz-Cabello (2004) | NR | NR | NR | Group prayer and religious rituals as essential part of grieving. | NR | NR |
| Google Scholar | Cann (2016) | NR | NR | NR | Cultural values and rituals allow for continuing bonds | NR | NR |
| Google Scholar | Lipscomb and Salinas (2020) | N=10 | M=43, SD=NR | 70% female | Lack of cultural support and distance from family is a risk factor for poor bereavement adjustment. | Undocumented/Temporary Protected Status; subgroup NR* | NR |
| Google Scholar | Rosa and Fuentes (2020) | NR | NR | NR | Acculturation impacts Latino/a caregiving roles. | NR | NR |
| EBSCOHost, Google Scholar | Schoulte (2011) | NR | NR | NR | Strategies for mental health providers to better support Latino/a mourners. | NR | NR |
| PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Google Scholar | Garcini et al (2021) | N=19 studies | NR | n=6 studies 100% female; n=5: 69–84% female; n=8 NR | More rigorous research needed to better understand bereavement adjustment for minority groups. | Majority Mexican American, NR | NR |
| Google Scholar, EBSCOHost, PubMed, Scopus | Doran and Hansen (2006) | N=9 | NR | NR | Eight ways of maintaining continuing bonds: Dreams; Storytelling; Keepsakes; Sense of presence; Faith-based connections; Proximity connections; Ongoing rituals; Pictorial remembrances | Mexican American | NR |
| Google Scholar | Sanchez (2009)66 | N=15 | M=66.8, SD=NR | 100% male | Familial support and cultural traditions vital for bereaved spouses. | Mexico, Puerto Rico, Guatemala | NR |
| Google Scholar, EBSCOHost, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL | Oljtenburns (1998) | N=100 | M=19.8, SD=NR | 72% female | Mexican group showed higher scores of somatization and loss of control compared with whites. | Mexican Americana | NR |
| Spirituality | |||||||
| Google Scholar, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus | Campesino and Schwartz (2006) | N=95 | M=46, SD=NR | Female | Strong presence of spirituality in Latino culture. | Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central/South America, Cuba, Other | N/A |
| Google Scholar, PubMed, EBSCOHost, Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus | Monserud and Markides (2017) | N=385 | M=72.7, SD=5.5 | 65% female | Depression increases before and during widowhood. More frequent church attendance was protective prewidowhood | Mexican American | N/A |
| Grief and Immigration | |||||||
| Wiley, EBSCOHost, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL | Nesteruk (2018) | N=56 | M=64, SD=NR | 77% female | Key themes: caregiving in transnational families; coping with loss and transnational grief; family continuity and anticipatory grief | Immigrants from Mexico, Argentina, Perua | NR |
| Google Scholar, EBSCOHost, Scopus, CINAHL | Bravo (2017) | N=12 | NR | NR | Importance of funeral attendance. Separation from family in bereavement worsens emotional experience. | Undocumented immigrants: Mexico, El Salvador, Costa Rica | NR |
| Google Scholar, EBSCOHost, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL | Garcini et al (2020) | N=248 | M=37, SD=NR | 69% female | Losing a loved one from afar associated with feelings of sadness and guilt. | Undocumented Mexican immigrants | N=55: ≤10 years; N=125: 11–20 years; N=66≥20 years |
| Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus | Mas-Giralt (2019) | NR | NR | NR | Transnational bereavement impacts wellbeing, guilt, and anger. | Latino American and Latino British immigrants | NR |
| COVID | |||||||
| Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL | Wallace et al (2020) | NR | NR | NR | COVID-19 pandemic and “mass disenfranchised grief” for all cultures. | NR | NR |
| PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus | Núñez et al (2020) | NR | NR | NR | Strategies to address challenges for those at-risk during the pandemic | NR | NR |
| Postdeath Rituals | |||||||
| Google Scholar, Scopus | Gamino et al (2000) | N=74 | M=50.7, SD=14.6 | 78.4% female | Mourners reporting funeral services as comforting exhibited lower grief misery | NR | NR |
| Google Scholar, Wiley, PubMed | Hidalgo et al (2021) | N=61 | M=35, SD=9.0 | NR | Supports examples of Latino death rituals in bereaved parents. | Haiti, Cuba, Puerto Rico, DR, Bahamas, Mexico, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Ecuador, Chile, Peru, Columbiaa | NR |
a
Studies, including non-Latino groups in the sample.
DR, Dominican Republic; NA, not applicable; NR*, not reported.