Exploring Spirituality Among Young Adults With Prolonged Grief Disorder: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This study explores the influence of spirituality on young adults experiencing prolonged grief disorder (PGD), with an aim to investigate how they describe and engage with their spiritual beliefs during their grieving journey. The objective was to explore the role of spirituality in coping and its impact on well-being of young adults with prolonged grief disorder within first 3 years after diagnosis. Using a qualitative research design, four participants (aged 21, 24, 24, and 40) were recruited through purposive sampling. Data collection was done using semistructured interviews. Reflective thematic analysis was applied to analyze the data, resulting in the generation of 4 major themes, and their respective sub-themes. The themes include: Prayer as a Source of Emotional Release with its subthemes power of prayer and seeking divine guidance; The Ripple effects of Prolonged Grief with its subthemes Intense Emotional Pain, Emotional Numbness and Yearning, Social Withdrawal and Relationship Difficulties, Cognitive and Psychosomatic Manifestations; Seeking solace beyond Spirituality with its subthemes Seeking and Offering Social Support, Engaging in Therapeutic and Creative Activities, Developing Positive Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches; Existential Exploration through Spirituality as a Source of Meaning and healing, with its subthemes Struggles to align grief with spiritual beliefs, Mitigating grief through surrendering to Higher power. The results reveal that spirituality serves as both a source of solace and a domain of challenge for individuals with PGD. While spiritual and religious practices often provide emotional support, they also evoke existential crisis, complicating the healing process. This study contributes to a refined understanding of the role of spirituality in prolonged grief. The insights gained have significant implications for grief counseling, highlighting the need forholistic approaches that integrate spiritual and non spiritual dimensions in addressing the complex nature of PGD.