Coping Strategies among Bereaved African Missionaries in Karen, Langata Sub-County, Kenya

Grief is a universal human experience that frequently presents emotional, social, and spiritual challenges. African missionaries serving away from home frequently encounter this challenge when they lose loved ones due to canonical and congregational rules, geographical distance, financial limitations, and limited participation in communal bereavement rituals. Despite these unique challenges, limited empirical attention has been given to the strategies used by African missionaries to cope with grief while in mission. The objective of the study examined coping strategies employed by African missionaries in Karen, Langata Sub-County, Kenya. The study adopted a convergent parallel mixed-methods design. A sample of 301 African Catholic missionaries was selected from a target population of 1,102 missionaries using multistage stratified sampling with simple random selection for the quantitative strand and purposive sampling for qualitative interviews. A total of 276 completed questionnaires were analyzed alongside 16 in-depth interviews. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and inferential procedures in the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version 29), while qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings from both results were integrated during interpretation. The findings demonstrated that spirituality and psychosocial support constituted the principal coping resources among bereaved missionaries. Most participants reported relying on prayer, celebration of the Holy Mass, spiritual direction, meditation, and trust in God to cope with grief. Community living, emotional support from fellow missionaries, acceptance of loss, years in the ministry, and meaning-making also emerged as significant psychosocial coping mechanisms. Qualitative findings further revealed that faith, shared community life, and continued engagement in missionary ministry enhanced resilience despite disrupted participation in culturally significant mourning practices. In conclusion, spiritual and psychosocial support remain central to grief adaptation among African missionaries. Integrating culturally responsive grief counselling with existing pastoral and spiritual support structures may strengthen psychological well-being and improve bereavement care within missionary communities.

Grief, African missionaries, coping strategies, psychosocial support, spirituality

1. Alexandre, V., Shintani, A. O., Vargas, P. R., Passos, I. C. & Morerra-Almeida, A. (2025).Religiosity and Spirituality in Coping with Suicide Grief: A Review. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1177/00207640251345508 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Ayaz, N. & Jafar, M. (2025). Religious Coping and Psychological Wellbeing among COVID-19Bereaved Families. Journal for Social Science Studies, 3 (1), 18-33.https://journalofsocialscience.com/index-php/journal/article/download/43/36 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Biancalani, G., Azzola, C., Sassu, R., Marogna, C. & Testoni, I. (2022). Spirituality for Copingwith the Trauma of a Loved One’s Death During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An ItalianQualitative Study. Pastoral Psychology, 71 (2), 173-185.https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-021-00989-8 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Bourhill, R. (2023). Communal Healing: How the Grieving Process Connects Community. Born As the Earth Zen Academy (BEZA) Cape Town. New Earth School for Embodied Enlightment. https://bornastheearth.com/communal-healing [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Coelho, A., Albugerque, S. & Neto, D. D. (2025). Bereavement Support Guidelines for Caregivers in Palliative Care: A Scoping Review. Frontiers in Psychology, 16.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1541783 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Creswell, W. H. & Plano Clark, L. V. (2023). Revisiting Mixed Methods Research Designs Twenty Years Later. In the Book: The Sage Handbook of Mixed Methods Research Design (pp. 21-36). https://doi.org/10.4135/9781529614572.n6 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Falzarano, F., Winoker, H., Burke, R. V., Mendoza, J. A., Munoz, F., Tergas, A., Maciejewski, P. K., & Prigerson, H. G. (2022). Grief and Bereavement in the Latino/a Community: A Literature Synthesis and Directions for Future Research. Health Equity, 6 (1), 696-707.https://doi.org/10.1089/heg.2022.0031 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Foucauld, H., Laurene, L., Vieux, M., Kushtrim, B., Benoit, C. & Edouard, L. (2024). ‘A Signthat I am not alone’: A Grounded Theory-Informed Qualitative Study on Spirituality afterSuicide Bereavement. Death Studies, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2024.2355250. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Gameon, J. A., McNamee, A. & Skewes, M. C. (2024). The Role of Complicated Grief in HealthInequities in American Indian Communities. Journal of Prevention and Health Promotion,5 (2-3). https://doi.org/10.1177/26320770241267714 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Guldin, M. B. & Leget, C. J. W. (2023). The Integrated Process Model of Loss and Grief: An Inter Professional Understand. Death Studies, 48 (7), 1-15.https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2023.2272960 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Hewson, H., Galbraith, N., Jones, C. & Health, G. (2023). The Impact of Continuing Bonds Following Bereavement: A Systematic Review. Death Studies, 48 (10), 1-14.https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2023.2223593 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Kgatle, M. S. & Segalo, P. (2021). Grieving during a Pandemic: A Psych-Theological Response.Verbum et Ecclesia, 42(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v42i1.2260 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Khosa-Nkatini, H. P. (2022). Patriarchal Nature of Mourning from an African Perspective. HTSTeologiese Studies/Theological Studies, 78 (2). https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v78i2.7753 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Khosa-Nkatini, H. P. (2023). Ubuntu and Mourning Practices in the Tsonga Culture: Rite of Passage. Verbum et Eccesia, 44 (1). https://doi.org/10.4102/ve.v44i1.2682 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Leavy, P. (2023). Research Design: Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Methods, Arts-Based, and Community-Based Participatory Research Approach. New York: Guilford Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Müller, H., Zsak, E., O’Connor, M., Keegan, O., Østergaad, T. G. & Larsen, H. (2024). The European Grief Conference, Copenhagen 2022: An Effort to unite the Field of Bereavement Care in Europe. Death Studies, 49 (3), 312-320.https://doi.org/10.1080/07481187.2024.2324908 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Neimeyer, R. & Steffen, M. E. (2026). Working with Continuing Bonds in Grief Therapy: A Practical Guide. Routledge: New York. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. Pedraza, E. C., Vokinger, A. K., Cleves, D., Michel, G., Wrigley, J., Baker, J. N., Garcia-Quintero, X. & McNeil, M. J. (2024). Grief and Bereavement Support for Parentsin Low-or-Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review. Journal of Pain and SymptomManagement, 67 (5). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2024.01.023 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Putri, A., Ridla, A. & Veronika, D. (2023). Social Support as a Protective Factor for Widows’Resilience: A Systematic Literature Review. Proceedings of International Conference onPsychological Studies, 4, 412-422. https://doi.org/10.58959/icpsyche-v4.1.56 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Rammutia, M. C. (2025). The Cultural Nature of Mourning in South African Black Families: A Systematic Review. Innovation Journal of Social Science and Economy, 7(1).https://doi.org/10.36923/ijsser.v7i1.276 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Ramkissoon, H. (2021). Pro-Sociality in Times of Separation and Loss. Current Opinion in Psychology, 45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.11008 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Taherdoost, H. (2022). What are Different Research Approach: Comprehensive Review of Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Method Research, Their Applications, Types, and Limitations. Journal of Management Science & Engineering Research, 5(1).https://doi.org/10.30564/jmser.v5i1.4 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Ungureanu, I. & Hall, C. (2025). Grief works: Integrating Emotional Processing andMeaning-Making into Grief Therapy. The Family Journal.https://doi.org/10.1177/10664807251318983 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. World Health Organization. (2022). Guidelines on Mental Health at Work. WHO https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240053052 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• A Comparative Study of Adjustment Level, Parental Income and Academic Achievement of Adolescent Girls
• Increase in STIs among Adolescents in Masvingo District
• A Correlation between SDG 4 (Quality Education) and Emotional Disposition of Teacher Educators in Hyderabad District
• Ear Piercing Behaviour and Self-Esteem among Male University Students in Nigeria
• A Study of Religiosity and Psychological Well-Being