Abstract
This study aims to describe the lived experience of adult bereaved siblings and their needs for meaning. The study has a qualitative design, in which ten bereaved adults who lost one or more adult siblings were interviewed in-depth. The participants were three men and seven women living in the Netherlands. Interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to analyze the data.The results show that sibling loss is experienced as a profound loss that requires deep and long-lasting mourning, even if the bond with the deceased sibling was not close. Sibling loss means loss of a lifelong bond that is believed to be infinite and extends into the past, present and future. As a result, it is also loss of opportunities and possibilities in the future. The death of a sibling creates a void that is difficult to fill. Adult bereaved siblings feel responsible for their parents and the partner/children of their deceased sibling. The extent of the grief and the profoundness of the loss is not always recognized by everyone; not even by the adult bereaved siblings themselves.
The death of an adult sibling creates an increased sense of temporality: life is short and must be lived to the fullest. Adult bereaved siblings gain a different view on how they want to live their lives and what is important. This is also called a need for moral worth, the need to live by what is important. In this study the adult bereaved siblings all long for more connection, which reflects a need for connectedness. This connectedness focuses on family, but also on the deceased sibling. The bond with their deceased sibling is maintained through objects, music, animals such as birds and butterflies or symbols. Most of the participants feel their deceased sibling occasionally, often as a protective presence. This reflects a need for transcendence that many adult bereaved siblings have. The needs for efficacy, purposefulness, coherence and self-worth play a more subordinate role among the participants in this study.
This study gives recommendations for chaplains. Chaplains who guide adults must always be aware of loss experiences. They should also inquire about sibling loss without prompting. The older the adults, the more likely they have lost a sibling. Spontaneous recognition of the profoundness of sibling loss is experienced as supportive. Recognition of this loss can also be helpful years after sibling death. Chaplains should be aware that sibling bonds can be complicated which might result in feelings of guilt. Inquiring about the needs (for meaning) of adult bereaved siblings can lead to a conversation about what is of value in life and how life is experienced as meaningful.
| Date of Award | 27 Feb 2024 |
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| Original language | Dutch |
| Supervisor | J. M. (Mienke) van der Brug (Supervisor) & Renske Kruizinga (Supervisor) |