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

Death Studies, 35: 579-609, 2011 g-% p x\\^Ancx Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC |<f KOUlieuge ISSN: 0748-1187 print/1091-7683 online ^ Taylor^FranasCroup DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2011.584758 SENSE OF PRESENCE EXPERIENCES AND MEANING-MAKING IN BEREAVEMENT: A QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS EDITH STEFFEN and ADRIAN COYLE Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK 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. Wliile participants found many benefits in what they experienced, finding meaning beyond immedi- ate coping seemed to require the availability of spiritual/religious frameworks that could be adopted or, if available but discrepant, could meaningfully accom- modate the experience. Bereavement has been described as a major life crisis with potentially severe effects on the survivor's physical and psychologi- cal well-being (Lindemann, 1944; Parkes, 1970, 1996). For much of the 20th century, Western approaches to bereavement have emphasized emotional disengagement from the deceased and the working-through of grief (Freud, 1917). Following increasing chal- lenges to this grief work paradigm (e.g., Wortman & Silver, 1989), a new strand of bereavement research has started to identify Received 17 April 2010; accepted 3 April 2011. We extend our sincere thanks to two anonymous reviewers and to Robert A. Neimeyer and Nigel Field for their invaluable and insightful advice and support in helping us to develop this article for publication. Address correspondence to Edith Steffen, Department of Psychology, University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom. E-mail: e.steffen@surrey.ac.uk 579