LGBTQ+ Loss Experiences and the Use of Meaning Reconstruction with Clients

LGBTQ+ Loss and Grief in a Cis-Heteronormative Pandemic: A Qualitative Evidence Synthesis of the COVID-19 Literature

LGBTQ+ people are no stranger to loss and grief, particularly during times of pandemic such as the 1980s-90s HIV/AIDS pandemic and now, the COVID-19 pandemic. Current COVID-19 loss and grief research remains relatively silent on LGBTQ+ peoples' loss and grief experiences. The aim of this research was to conduct a qualitative evidence synthesis of LGBTQ+ people's COVID-19 loss and grief experiences reported in the literature. A systematic search and inclusion strategy identified 22 relevant articles for review. Inductive thematic synthesis resulted in five loss-focused themes across the articles: (1) loss of work and livelihood, (2) loss of social and kinship connection, (3) loss of LGBTQ+ community connection, (4) loss of physical and mental health supports and (5) loss of LGBTQ+ identity authenticity, affirmation and visibility. Discussion of these themes highlights the many layered and often disenfranchised nature of LGBTQ+ people's loss during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bereavement Outcomes for Atheist Individuals: The Role of Spirituality, Discrimination, and Meaning

The present study applied several concepts typically included in thanatology research to an atheist sample. Atheists are a growing segment of the population in the United States, though little is known about this group. A sample of 355 adults who self-identify as atheist completed an online survey assessing forms of spirituality, anti-atheist discrimination, and meaning reconstruction in order to examine associations between these variables and bereavement outcomes of complicated grief and psychological distress. Results of a multiple regression analysis suggested that spirituality was not related to bereavement outcomes, anti-atheist discrimination was related to poorer bereavement outcomes, while the relationship between meaning reconstruction and bereavement outcomes was mixed. These results provide a foundation for additional exploration of bereavement processes in atheist individuals, and implications for future research and practice are discussed.