Spirituality and Religion in the Grief Process of Losing a Sibling with a Disability

The sibling relationships is typically one’s longest family relationship, but little attention has been given to this relationship when death occurs. Even less attention has been given to siblings who have lost brothers and sisters with disabilities. This qualitative study interviewed forty-five siblings who had lost a brother or a sister with a disability to death. It examines how siblings used themes of religion and spirituality to navigate loss and find meaning in death of their brother or sister. Results were analyzed to find themes of positive and negative spiritual coping. Positive religious coping themes included: 1) church staff as therapeutic; 2) feeling spiritual presence of the deceased; 3) using text or prayer; 4) end of life rituals, and 5) religious organization as inclusive and supportive. Negative religious coping themes included: 1) feeling excluded from or not supported by the religious community; and 2) disability as punishment or sin. Discussions of God’s will and God’s plan fell under both examples of positive and negative spiritual coping. Results have implications for spiritual communities and highlight the critical role that faith communities can have in providing inclusion and support.