Loss and meaning: individual, spiritual, and sociocultural aspects – place for one external PhD candidate
Chair group
Humanist chaplaincy studies for a plural society
You can also have a look on the Dutch website.
Supervisor
prof. dr. Geert Smid, Endowed professor of psychotrauma, loss, and griefShort introduction into the research field
| Chair | Humanist Chaplaincy studies for a Plural Society |
| Supervisors | Prof. dr. Geert Smid |
Field of Research: Loss and meaning: individual, spiritual, and sociocultural aspects – place for one external PhD candidate |
Bereavement and loss experiences impact on individuals and their social environments. Bereaved people attribute meanings to their loss that are influenced by the circumstances of the loss, the relationship with the deceased, individual, spiritual, and sociocultural factors. Meaning attribution following the loss may be adaptive and contribute to individual, family and community resilience. In contrast, maladaptive meaning attributions may predispose to decreased wellbeing and ill health. Therefore, research into loss and meaning attribution may contribute to improving care. The care for people who seek help related to loss experiences is provided by different care providers, including but not limited to spiritual and mental health care providers and social workers. Through their collaboration, an integrated network of care for loss emerges that needs to provide culturally sensitive care. Exploring lived experiences among care recipients and care providers across different care contexts may contribute to the integration of such a network. To increase insight in individual, social, cultural, and spiritual aspects of loss, both qualitative and quantitative methodologies, as well as scoping/ systematic reviews can be employed. Research questions may address a variety of specific populations and contexts. |
| Examples of research questions | How do bereaved relatives and friends following self-directed dying or suicide [or other loss context or specific group] experience their grief, care, and support? What meanings do they attribute to their loss and what circumstances and experiences contributed to shaping those meanings? How do meanings they attribute to their loss develop over time? What do persons involved in their care and support perceive as helpful and unhelpful with regard to meanings that bereaved people attribute to their loss? |
| Place for: | one external PhD candidate |
Contact and information | G.Smid@UvH.nl |
Supervised by professor Geert Smid.
