Religion/Spirituality and Change in Meaning after Bereavement: Qualitative Evidence for the Meaning Making Model

Abstract

Making meaning appears to be an important pathway through which religion/spirituality influences adjustment following bereavement (Wortmann & Park, 2008). Few studies, however, have provided a detailed account of the ways in which meaning changes as part of the meaning making process (Park & Ai, 2006 Park , C. L. , & Ai , A. L. ( 2006 ). Meaning making and growth: New directions for research on survivors of trauma . Journal of Loss & Trauma , 11 , 389 – 407 .[Taylor & Francis Online], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]). We review the qualitative research regarding religion/spirituality and bereavement to examine meaning from the phenomenological perspective of the bereaved. We use the meaning making model (Park, 2005b Park , C. L. ( 2005b ). Religion as a meaning-making framework in coping with life stress . Journal of Social Issues , 61 , 707 – 729 .[Crossref], [Web of Science ®] , [Google Scholar]) to organize findings regarding the interplay of religion/spirituality and meaning, including the nature of meaning discrepancy and processes of assimilation and accommodation. We conclude with suggestions for future research.