Sense of Presence Experiences and Meaning-Making in Bereavement: A Qualitative Analysis

This qualitative study aimed to explore the potential role that might be played by the reported experience of "sensing the presence of the deceased" in meaning-making processes in bereavement. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 participants who reported having had such an exp...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Death studies 2011-08, Vol.35 (7), p.579-609
Main Authors: Steffen, Edith, Coyle, Adrian
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation, Psychological
Adjustment
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Anxiety
Awareness
Bereavement
Coping
Death
Emotional Response
Existentialism
Female
Foreign Countries
Grief
Health technology assessment
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Interpersonal Relationship
Interview, Psychological
Interviews
Male
Memory, Episodic
Middle Aged
Qualitative research
Religion
Religious Factors
Sense of Coherence
Spirituality
United Kingdom
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Summary:This qualitative study aimed to explore the potential role that might be played by the reported experience of "sensing the presence of the deceased" in meaning-making processes in bereavement. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 participants who reported having had such an experience and the transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis. Seven overarching themes were identified, 3 of which were considered central: finding benefit in the continuation of the deceased, finding benefit in the continued relationship, and finding meaning through existential, spiritual, and religious sense-making. While participants found many benefits in what they experienced, finding meaning beyond immediate coping seemed to require the availability of spiritual/religious frameworks that could be adopted or, if available but discrepant, could meaningfully accommodate the experience.
ISSN:0748-1187
1091-7683
DOI:10.1080/07481187.2011.584758