Pre-bereavement meaning and post-bereavement distress in mothers of children who underwent haematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Objectives. 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). Design. 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.