Navigating grief and criminal proceedings: Mixed-methods research on the mental health of MH17-bereaved people

On July 17, 2014, the 298 passengers and crew members aboard civilian flight MH17 were killed when the aircraft was shot down over Ukraine. This mixed-methods dissertation examined (1) the grieving process of people bereaved by this violent loss and (2) the relationship between involvement in criminal proceedings and the grieving process. Five studies were carried out. Four used longitudinal survey data from 299 MH17-bereaved people collected across eight annual measurement occasions, with the last four taking place before, during, and after the criminal proceedings. The fifth study was based on interviews with 30 people bereaved by various violent causes.

Most people adjusted to the loss(es) over time, reporting either little distress or distress that gradually decreases over time. However, around one in six reported at least probable prolonged grief disorder (PGD), posttraumatic stress disorder, or major depressive disorder nearly a decade later. We found that PGD and mental well-being were distinct, yet correlated constructs, with no evidence of a temporal relationship. Their factor structures seemed to be invariant over time. We also found that PGD levels were a stronger longitudinal predictor of (state) anger levels than vice versa. Overall, the impact of violent bereavement on mental health may be reflected in increased negative outcomes (e.g., PGD symptoms), decreased positive outcomes (e.g., mental well-being), or a combination of both. Future studies may build on these findings by replicating them in other samples of violently bereaved people.

None of the quantitative studies provided evidence for involvement in criminal proceedings having an impact on the grieving process. The qualitative findings suggested that this null finding may be due to heterogeneity in how bereaved people experience the proceedings. This includes whether their experiences align with their expectations, the meaning they attribute to different aspects (e.g., the right to speak), and the extent to which their needs are met. To gain a better understanding of when and how criminal proceedings affect bereaved people’s grieving process, future studies may want to pay more attention to these idiosyncrasies.

Based on our findings, we recommend mental healthcare professionals to assess both negative and positive dimensions of mental health following violent bereavement. Additionally, mental healthcare and criminal justice professionals should acknowledge that criminal proceedings may affect the grieving process.