Abstract
The purpose of this investigation was to qualitatively explore how end-of-life communication impacted participants’ perception of coping after the death of a relational partner. Two-hundred thirty-six individuals participated in an online survey with open-ended questions that asked them about the impact of EOL communication on their coping following a death. Findings indicate that EOL communication impacted participants’ coping via: belief in an afterlife (faith); closure and acceptance; reminiscence of the relationship; guidance on how to move on; and, relief that the deceased relational partner is no longer suffering or in pain. Implications, limitations, and future directions are discussed.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.