“Why Am I The Only One?”

The Experience of Non-death Loss and Grief for Chinese International High School Students in Auckland, New Zealand During COVID-19

Abstract

This qualitative research explored the non-death loss and grief experiences of Chinese international high school students during the COVID-19 pandemic in Auckland, New Zealand. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six Chinese international high school students. The data were analysed using a thematic analysis approach. This study demonstrates the complexity of non-death loss and grief experienced by international high school students during the pandemic. This study proposes that socio-cultural factors and the developmental characteristics of adolescence, rather than individual characteristics, played significant roles in contributing to, and complicating, these loss and grief experiences in the context of the global crisis. Implications for practice, research, and education are discussed.