Social constraints in the context of bereavement: A narrative review

Social constraints are negative social processes that may hinder bereaved individuals' ability to cope with grief and lead to poorer adjustment. Despite their relevance, research on social constraints in bereavement remains limited. This narrative review addresses three key areas: (1) concept clarification; (2) health outcomes associated with social constraints; and (3) factors influencing social constraints. Findings indicate inconsistent conceptualizations, promoting a redefinition of social constraints in bereavement research. Evidence, predominantly cross-sectional, links social constraints with mental health difficulties (e.g., prolonged grief symptoms, depression, posttraumatic stress, suicidal ideation) and somatic symptoms. Factors that may shape social constraints include social network characteristics (e.g., network size, source of social responses), individual characteristics (e.g., gender, age, and race), loss-related factors (e.g., cause of death and grief timeframe), and cultural influences. Future research should further clarify the mechanisms among these relationships and examine how they vary across cultural contexts. For clinical practice, grief interventions should consider interpersonal factors such as social constraints to support bereaved individuals' adjustment.