Predicting the grief of midlife adults following the death of a parent: The role of meaning reconstruction
Abstract
The present study was focused on examining the role played by meaning reconstruction in predicting the grief of midlife adults who experienced the death of a parent. The theoretical basis of the study included a synthesis of Levinson's theory of midlife adult development and the theory of meaning reconstruction as it applies to the experience of grief following parental death loss. Results indicated positive predictors of normative grief including emptiness and meaninglessness, identity change, and continuing bonds. In contrast, the only predictor (positive) of prolonged grief was emptiness and meaninglessness. Profile analysis indicated that meaning reconstruction appeared to operate similarly for non-prolonged and prolonged grievers with emptiness and meaninglessness being the only factor that differentiated the two profiles with prolonged grievers scoring significantly higher than their non-prolonged grieving peers.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Servaty-Seib, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Counseling Psychology|Clinical psychology
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