Pre-bereavement meaning and post-bereavement distress in mothers of children who underwent haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to explore the association of meaning-making with psychological adjustment to bereavement among mothers of children who had undergone haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT).


METHODS
A prospective research design was used. Regression analyses were conducted to determine the relations between pre-bereavement variables (distress, searching for meaning, and finding meaning) and distress post-bereavement.


METHODS
Thirty-five mothers of children who had undergone HSCT were interviewed at the time of their child's HSCT and 3 months post-bereavement.


RESULTS
Mothers who reported searching for meaning at HSCT reported greater post-bereavement distress, and mothers who reported finding meaning at HSCT reported less post-bereavement distress. Distress at HSCT and the number of days between the time of death and the post-bereavement time point were also found to be significant predictors of post-bereavement distress.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides partial support for the role of meaning in adjustment to loss.
Wu
Lisa
L
Department of Oncological Sciences, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029-6574, USA. lisa.wu@mssm.edu
Bonanno
George
G
Duhamel
Katherine
K
Redd
William H
WH
Rini
Christine
C
Austin
Jane
J
Nereo
Nancy
N
Ostroff
Jamie
J
Parsons
Susan
S
Martini
Richard
R
Williams
Sharon
S
Mee
Laura
L
Sexson
Sandra
S
Manne
Sharon
S
D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001294:Attitude to Health; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D003863:Depression / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D018380:Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors