Spirituality, religion, and meaning-making in suicide loss: an international overview of clinical responses and therapeutic approaches.

Abstract

Suicide loss confronts individuals with significant existential challenges, positioning spirituality, religion, and meaning-making as central dimensions of post-suicide bereavement. This overview synthesizes findings from existing review studies to explore the complex mechanisms of these dimensions and identify corresponding clinical responses. A narrative synthesis of nine peer-reviewed review papers was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. The search covered a decade from 2015 to 2025, with an updated search in March 2026. Methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR-2, SANRA, and PRISMA-ScR. Data were analyzed using qualitative software to identify and synthesize key thematic patterns. The synthesis revealed three critical, interlocking themes: (1) The Paradox of Spiritual Engagement, highlighting the tension between religious comfort and spiritual struggle; (2) Meaning Reconstruction as the Core Psychological Mechanism, emphasizing both cognitive-existential and behavioral-occupational pathways; and (3) The Imperative for Existentially Integrated Postvention, which calls for a systems-based approach involving first responders, clinicians, and chaplains. Findings confirm that spirituality and religion are core determinants of bereavement trajectories. Effective postvention requires a comprehensive, systems-based approach that integrates spiritual assessment and meaning-centered therapies to support survivors. Future research should prioritize culturally diverse, spiritually integrated interventions.