Background: Responses to bereavement may be influenced by characteristics such as age or gender, but also by factors like culture and religion.
Aim: A systematic review was undertaken to assess whether spiritual or religious beliefs alter the process of grief and/or bereavement.
Methods: Fifteen computerized databases were searched. Thirty-two studies met the inclusion criteria. Evidence was graded according to the standard grading system of the Clinical Outcomes Group and by the SIGNAL score.
Results: In total, 5715 persons were examined: 69% women, 87% white, 83% protestant. Ninety-four percent of studies show some positive effects of religious/spiritual beliefs on bereavement, but there was a great heterogeneity regarding included populations and outcome measurements.
Conclusion: Available data do not allow for a definite answer on whether religious/spiritual beliefs effectively influence bereavement as most studies suffer from weaknesses in design and methodological flaws. Further research is needed. Recommendations for further research are given.