Insight Into the Role of Protestant Christianity in the Experience of Living With a Suicidal Relative: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study.
Christina Hennipman-Herweijer, Joke van Nieuw Amerongen-Meeuse, Janneke de Man-van Ginkel and 2 others
PMID 40838462WHAT IT FOUND
For Protestant relatives of suicidal patients, faith was a double-edged sword.
Believing the loved one would go to heaven brought peace, while fearing hell caused guilt and isolation. Nurses must ask about these specific religious beliefs to support coping effectively.
Key findings
01Relatives' acceptance of suicide depended on their belief about the afterlife: expecting heaven brought peace, while fearing hell caused guilt and prevented acceptance.
02Religious coping strategies varied; surrendering to God and seeking divine help reduced stress, whereas spiritual discontent and feeling abandoned by God increased fear and guilt.
03Stigma within religious communities and a reluctance among pastors to discuss suicide left relatives feeling isolated and unsupported in their faith networks.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study only included Protestant Christians, so findings may not apply to other religious groups. The sample was small (n=17) and recruited from specific mental healthcare organizations, limiting generalizability. The researcher was a Christian nurse, which may have influenced the depth of disclosure or interpretation, although reflexivity was maintained.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that religious belief is uniformly supportive. For some relatives, specific doctrines about suicide and the afterlife are a source of severe distress, guilt, and isolation, rather than comfort.