Abstract:
This correlational study examines the yearning, spiritual beliefs, coping
strategies, and delayed grief functioning in bereaved adults. The main objective of the
study was to assess the moderating effects of both coping strategies and spiritual
beliefs in the association between yearning and delayed grief functioning in bereaved
adults. Snowball sampling was used for the data collection (n= 200). This study
explores how yearning and spiritual beliefs are duplex and act as defence mechanisms
towards despair and triggers for grieving processes. Yearning, Spiritual Beliefs,
Coping Strategies, and Delayed Grief Functioning were assessed using the Yearning
in Situations of Loss Short Form (YSL -SF) Scale, Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs
Scale (SIBS), Brief Cope Urdu Scale, and Pandemic Grief Scale (PGS), respectively.
Data analysis was performed using SPSS to account for the interpretation of data.
Regression and moderation analysis were used to evaluate the study objectives. The
findings of the current study showed that yearning and spiritual beliefs are positively
associated with delayed grief functioning with each other and negatively associated
with coping strategies in bereaved adults. Bereaved adults with strong spiritual beliefs
have high levels of yearning, and their functioning is more disturbed due to delayed
grief and vice versa. Furthermore, the results showed that spiritual beliefs and coping
strategies moderated the relationship between yearning and delayed grief functioning
in bereaved adults.
