Grief experience of bereaved Malay/Muslim youths in Singapore: The spiritual dimension

Abstract

This article is based on a qualitative study conducted in Singapore which examined different coping mechanisms engaged by Malay/Muslim bereaved youths following parental death. The research applied the revised Transactional Model of Stress and Coping as well as the Adolescent Coping Scale as a theoretical framework for analysing findings. Of the three types of coping, namely spiritual-focused, problem-focused, and emotion-focused, the first was the most significant. Amongst others, a key finding was that spiritual growth was perceived by the youths to be a means of getting closer to God and a way to maintain relationships with their deceased parents. Implications for research and practice conclude the article. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.