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Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement

Katherine Bristowe Orcid Logo, Liadh Timmins Orcid Logo, Alexandra Pitman Orcid Logo, Debbie Braybrook Orcid Logo, Steve Marshall, Katherine Johnson Orcid Logo, Michael King, Anna Roach, Deokhee Yi Orcid Logo, Kathryn Almack, Elizabeth Day, Paul Clift, Ruth Rose, Richard Harding

Social Science and Medicine, Volume: 344

Swansea University Author: Liadh Timmins Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116616

Abstract

A recent national survey of bereaved partners found high levels of complicated grief and psychological distress, with evidence that loneliness and isolation may contribute to these outcomes. However, the mechanisms of action for this have not been explored. To advance grief theory this paper reports...

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Published in: Social Science and Medicine
ISSN: 0277-9536
Published: Elsevier BV 2024
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URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa65704
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To advance grief theory this paper reports analysis of the survey free-text data to examine the relationship between social support and emotional responses to bereavement. Individuals bereaved of a civil partner or spouse 6–10 months previously were identified through death registration data. 569/1945 (29 %) completed surveys were received. Of those, 311 participants (55 %) provided responses to two free-text questions which asked about their ‘feelings since the death of their partner or spouse’, and ‘about the support around’ them. Data were analysed using corpus-assisted discourse analysis and the discourse dynamics approach for figurative language. Participants described diverse emotional responses to the bereavement (e.g. sadness, anger, denial, acceptance), and the value of formal and informal bereavement support. Although many of the experiences described are accounted for in existing grief theory, some participants described a liminal experience not recognised within these theories. They felt trapped, unable to engage with loss or restoration, and unable to move forward as their planned future no longer existed. They sought out ‘communitas’ (solidarity in experiences), but often found support from their social networks had diminished. Metaphors were used to describe this liminality, with partner grief expressed as a dark agentic force, a monster, an abyss, and as water. The findings of this study offer original insights into experiences and trajectories of bereavement, and our understandings of prolonged or complicated grief. A novel model ‘Between Loss and Restoration’ is presented to include these experiences. 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spelling v2 65704 2024-02-26 Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement 7f227f6f0fc0400bae2893d252d2f5ec 0000-0001-7984-4748 Liadh Timmins Liadh Timmins true false 2024-02-26 HPS A recent national survey of bereaved partners found high levels of complicated grief and psychological distress, with evidence that loneliness and isolation may contribute to these outcomes. However, the mechanisms of action for this have not been explored. To advance grief theory this paper reports analysis of the survey free-text data to examine the relationship between social support and emotional responses to bereavement. Individuals bereaved of a civil partner or spouse 6–10 months previously were identified through death registration data. 569/1945 (29 %) completed surveys were received. Of those, 311 participants (55 %) provided responses to two free-text questions which asked about their ‘feelings since the death of their partner or spouse’, and ‘about the support around’ them. Data were analysed using corpus-assisted discourse analysis and the discourse dynamics approach for figurative language. Participants described diverse emotional responses to the bereavement (e.g. sadness, anger, denial, acceptance), and the value of formal and informal bereavement support. Although many of the experiences described are accounted for in existing grief theory, some participants described a liminal experience not recognised within these theories. They felt trapped, unable to engage with loss or restoration, and unable to move forward as their planned future no longer existed. They sought out ‘communitas’ (solidarity in experiences), but often found support from their social networks had diminished. Metaphors were used to describe this liminality, with partner grief expressed as a dark agentic force, a monster, an abyss, and as water. The findings of this study offer original insights into experiences and trajectories of bereavement, and our understandings of prolonged or complicated grief. A novel model ‘Between Loss and Restoration’ is presented to include these experiences. Recognition of the place for liminality within the spectrum of grief experiences could enhance grief literacy and improve formal and informal bereavement support provision. Journal Article Social Science and Medicine 344 Elsevier BV 0277-9536 Bereavement; Qualitative; Partner; Emotions; Grief; Social support; Theory 1 3 2024 2024-03-01 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116616 Data:It is not possible for the data from this study to be made available given the terms of our ethical approval due to the risk of deidentifying individuals. COLLEGE NANME Psychology COLLEGE CODE HPS Swansea University This work was supported by the Marie Curie Research Grants Scheme: grant reference - MCRGS–07–16–45. 2024-03-25T13:48:24.2658550 2024-02-26T19:25:19.4035215 Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences School of Psychology Katherine Bristowe 0000-0003-1809-217x 1 Liadh Timmins 0000-0001-7984-4748 2 Alexandra Pitman 0000-0002-9742-1359 3 Debbie Braybrook 0000-0001-9253-4955 4 Steve Marshall 5 Katherine Johnson 0000-0001-7092-4426 6 Michael King 7 Anna Roach 8 Deokhee Yi 0000-0003-4894-1689 9 Kathryn Almack 10 Elizabeth Day 11 Paul Clift 12 Ruth Rose 13 Richard Harding 14 65704__29640__bf9f899bd41f419294e049ef8b9e2387.pdf 65704.pdf 2024-03-05T12:04:28.5073520 Output 4014712 application/pdf Version of Record true © 2024 The Authors. This is an open access article under the CC BY license. true eng https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
title Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement
spellingShingle Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement
Liadh Timmins
title_short Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement
title_full Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement
title_fullStr Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement
title_full_unstemmed Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement
title_sort Between loss and restoration: The role of liminality in advancing theories of grief and bereavement
author_id_str_mv 7f227f6f0fc0400bae2893d252d2f5ec
author_id_fullname_str_mv 7f227f6f0fc0400bae2893d252d2f5ec_***_Liadh Timmins
author Liadh Timmins
author2 Katherine Bristowe
Liadh Timmins
Alexandra Pitman
Debbie Braybrook
Steve Marshall
Katherine Johnson
Michael King
Anna Roach
Deokhee Yi
Kathryn Almack
Elizabeth Day
Paul Clift
Ruth Rose
Richard Harding
format Journal article
container_title Social Science and Medicine
container_volume 344
publishDate 2024
institution Swansea University
issn 0277-9536
doi_str_mv 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116616
publisher Elsevier BV
college_str Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
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hierarchy_top_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
hierarchy_parent_id facultyofmedicinehealthandlifesciences
hierarchy_parent_title Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences
department_str School of Psychology{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Psychology
document_store_str 1
active_str 0
description A recent national survey of bereaved partners found high levels of complicated grief and psychological distress, with evidence that loneliness and isolation may contribute to these outcomes. However, the mechanisms of action for this have not been explored. To advance grief theory this paper reports analysis of the survey free-text data to examine the relationship between social support and emotional responses to bereavement. Individuals bereaved of a civil partner or spouse 6–10 months previously were identified through death registration data. 569/1945 (29 %) completed surveys were received. Of those, 311 participants (55 %) provided responses to two free-text questions which asked about their ‘feelings since the death of their partner or spouse’, and ‘about the support around’ them. Data were analysed using corpus-assisted discourse analysis and the discourse dynamics approach for figurative language. Participants described diverse emotional responses to the bereavement (e.g. sadness, anger, denial, acceptance), and the value of formal and informal bereavement support. Although many of the experiences described are accounted for in existing grief theory, some participants described a liminal experience not recognised within these theories. They felt trapped, unable to engage with loss or restoration, and unable to move forward as their planned future no longer existed. They sought out ‘communitas’ (solidarity in experiences), but often found support from their social networks had diminished. Metaphors were used to describe this liminality, with partner grief expressed as a dark agentic force, a monster, an abyss, and as water. The findings of this study offer original insights into experiences and trajectories of bereavement, and our understandings of prolonged or complicated grief. A novel model ‘Between Loss and Restoration’ is presented to include these experiences. Recognition of the place for liminality within the spectrum of grief experiences could enhance grief literacy and improve formal and informal bereavement support provision.
published_date 2024-03-01T13:48:20Z
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