The religious life during suicide bereavement: a description

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Religious Studies

Background:

• Suicide bereavement presents unique challenges.
• The role of religion in coping with loss is under-explored, particularly for suicide survivors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the multifaceted role of religion in the bereavement process of female suicide survivors.
• To identify key themes related to personal faith, social religious support, and community involvement.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative, exploratory study.
• In-depth narrative interviews with 10 female suicide loss survivors.
• Thematic analysis of survivor experiences.

Main Results:

• Ten emergent themes highlight religion's impact: afterlife beliefs, spiritual perspective shifts, impact on religious beliefs, social support, relationship dynamics, spiritual depth, congregant support, clergy ministry, funeral services, and return to worship.
• Participants perceived religion as crucial for navigating bereavement.

Conclusions:

• Religion serves as a vital resource for female suicide survivors during bereavement.
• Findings suggest avenues for future research on the perceived role of God, community participation, and clergy support in suicide postvention.