The Relationship of Purpose in Life to Coping Strategies and Time Since the Death of a Significant Other

The authors investigated the relationship of experienced purpose in life to strategies used to cope with a loss resulting from death and the amount of time since the loss. Forty undergraduates who had suffered the death of a significant other completed an information sheet, the Purpose in Life Test, and the revised Ways of Coping Checklist. People who experienced low purpose in life reported using more emotion‐focused coping strategies than did individuals with high purpose. These results are linked to the literature on emotion‐focused coping and depression and are discussed in terms of the assessment and preventive treatment of bereaved clients.