Open Access

Living amongst the dead: How morticians coped during the COVID-19 pandemic

Melissa Mashaba¹, Curwyn Mapaling^2,*, Wandile F. Tsabedze³

1 Community Psychosocial Research (COMPRES), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Mahikeng, 2745, South Africa
2 Optentia Research Unit, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
3 Department of Psychology, College of Social Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, 0003, South Africa

* Corresponding Author: Curwyn Mapaling. Email:

Journal of Psychology in Africa 2025, 35(1), 29-35. https://doi.org/10.32604/jpa.2025.066007

Received 16 December 2024; Accepted 25 March 2025; Issue published 30 April 2025

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic introduced significant psychosocial stressors for morticians in South Africa, yet their coping mechanisms remain underexplored. This study investigated how South African morticians (N = 10, Black males) coped with these stressors during the pandemic through semi-structured interviews. Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) informed thematic analysis identified five themes: (i) death overload distress associated with trauma and fear of exposure; (ii) insomnia due to worry, workload, and fear of infection; (iii) stigmatisation from community avoidance and negative perceptions; (iv) social isolation and anxiety related to emotional disconnection, personal protective equipment (PPE) shortages, and workload demands; and (v) adaptive coping mechanisms such as acceptance, resilience, external support, and religious faith, alongside less beneficial maladaptive strategies. Findings highlight the importance of targeted mental health services, psychoeducation, and social inclusion programmes to support morticians managing psychosocial stress during community health crises.

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Keywords

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