From Crisis to Meaning: A Structural Equation Model of Adjustment to Bereavement

Experiencing the death of a loved one often leads to a crisis of meaning, prompting efforts to restore coherence through meaning-making. Although several models have addressed this process, few studies have empirically examined how distinct forms of meaning (situational and global) emerge and interrelate. The present study used structural equation modelling to investigate meaning-making in bereavement. A model was developed incorporating variables from existing frameworks (crisis of meaning, distress, deliberate and intrusive rumination, emotional expression) and existential constructs (uncertainty tolerance, death anxiety). The sample comprised 329 bereaved individuals. Results showed crisis of meaning predicted distress, which in turn predicted rumination, emotional expression, and uncertainty tolerance. Deliberate and intrusive rumination negatively predicted situational meaning, whereas emotional expression and uncertainty tolerance positively predicted it. Death anxiety mediated the link between situational and global meaning. By differentiating forms of meaning and integrating existential variables, this study offers a novel contribution to meaning-making research.