Making Meaning from Personal Loss: Religious, Benefit Finding, and Goal-oriented Attributions

This study examined the role of religious, benefit finding, and goal-oriented meaning making strategies used by 111 young adults in response to their experience of personal loss. Death of a loved one and relationship loss were the two types of loss most frequently reported by participants. In general, young adults reported being affected by their loss experience, loss impacted their personal strivings and goals, and both religious and benefit finding strategies were used to derive meaning from loss. Religious, benefit finding, and goal-oriented meaning making strategies were differentially related to young adults' reports of depressed mood and interpersonal loneliness.