Analysis of the Impact of Grief Counselling on the Mental Health of Widows in Awka Diocese of the Anglican Communion in Anambra State, Nigeria

This study investigated the effect of grief counselling on the mental health of widows in the Awka Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Anambra State, Nigeria. A quasi-experimental pretest–posttest design was used to evaluate the impact of counselling on general health, psychological well-being, perceived stress, mental resilience, and social adjustment. Widows participated in a structured grief counselling programme involving emotional support, coping skills training, and spiritual guidance. Data were analysed using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank Test, Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA), and Cohen’s d effect size. Findings showed statistically significant improvements across all variables. Emotional support improved general health, coping skills enhanced psychological well-being, and the intervention reduced perceived stress. Spiritual guidance significantly strengthened mental resilience, while social adjustment improved modestly. Overall, grief counselling proved effective in enhancing widows’ psychological health and resilience within a culturally and religiously structured community.