Citation

Delgado H, Goergen J, Tyler J, Windham H. Omega (Westport) 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Sage Publications)

DOI

10.1177/00302228231193184

PMID

37499667

Abstract

Meaning making has been found useful in processing grief, yet individuals who have experienced a loss by suicide may have difficulty with post-loss adjustment due to the traumatic nature of their loss. Through quantitative study, this article acts as an initial exploratory study and examines the relationship between meaning-making, post-traumatic growth, and complicated grief symptoms in 81 college students from a large university in the United States who have experienced the loss of a loved one to suicide. The results of this study indicated that meaning-making serves as a mediator in the relationship with post-traumatic growth and complicated grief. This finding sheds light on the importance of meaning-making as a possible avenue of interventions for clinical use in bereavement from loss by suicide to treat grief symptoms and lead to post-traumatic growth.

Language: en

Keywords

suicide bereavement; complicated grief; meaning-making; post-traumatic growth; suicide loss