Recently there has been growing empirical and theoretical attention to the role of meaning in grief, along with increased recognition of the need for more sophisticated definitions of meaning. The present article highlights philosophical issues inherent in the study of meaning and grief, reviews the place of meaning in current theories of grief,…

"The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement" (M. Stroebe & H. Schut, 1999) suggests that the most effective adaptation involves oscillation between 2 coping processes: loss-orientation (LO) and restoration-orientation (RO). A 22-item Inventory of Daily Widowed Life (IDWL) was developed to measure these processes and the…

The dominant model of posttraumatic growth (PTG) suggests that growth is precipitated by significant challenges to one's identity or to core assumptions that give one's life meaning, and develops as one goes through meaning-making or schema reconstruction processes. Other perspectives suggest, however, that such growth occurs by other means. We…

Proposed dyadic model of how self functions in loss, recovery, and growth. In model, "reflective" side of self is seen as acting on "core" repository of identity, interpreting feelings and formulating meaning. Suggests that grief work enhances reflective self's insight, affirmative strength, and ability to make life matter. Discusses implications…