An exploration into positive emotions following bereavement – relief and guilt

The possible presence of positive emotions within the bereavement experience is rarely acknowledged by either bereavement literature and research, and the wider socio-cultural context of the western world. This situation raises issues relating to the deemed appropriateness or otherwise of such emotions as judged by society, others, and the individual themselves; the meanings given to such emotions by the bereaved individual, lay-persons, researchers and clinicians; and the impact of such emotions and their perceived meanings on the individual and their family / friends.

This study seeks to illuminate the possible presence of positive emotions in the bereavement experience; to understand better the contexts in which this phenomenon may arise, the meanings which the bereaved may assign to their emotions; and whether these add to the complexity of the bereavement processes at play. A qualitative methodology, specifically Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used in order to capture rich descriptions of how individuals perceived the presence of positive emotions following a bereavement, and how they made sense of this experience in terms of both personal and social worlds.

Individual interviews of six participants were transcribed and analysed. The findings of this study illustrated that positive emotions in the bereavement experience can arise in the context of caregiving, prolonged illness, a stressful dying experience, and where death was desired, particularly if by the dying person. Positive emotions co-existed with other emotions during the bereavement experience; with ‘relief’ appearing as the most frequently described positive emotion. Meanings of the bereavement experience were made, including those relating to the presence of positive emotions. While on one hand there was a personal acceptance of such emotions, on the other a sense of social taboo and deviation from the social norm was also illustrated. None of the participants appeared to suffer from any adverse outcome to their mourning processes in terms of complex or delayed grief, as a result of their bereavement experience; and a number of positive outcomes were identified in regard to their lives, their sense of self, and their relationships.