Insight Into the Role of Protestant Christianity in the Experience of Living With a Suicidal Relative: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Study

Abstract

Introduction: Living with a suicidal relative impacts multiple life aspects. However, it is not known how religious beliefs and meaning-making influence relatives' experiences. Aim: This study aimed to develop a theoretical framework to understand the role of religion in the experiences of Christian relatives living with a suicidal loved one. Methods: A constructivist grounded theory study was conducted, adhering to the COREQ checklist. Fifteen interviews were conducted with seventeen Christian relatives of suicidal individuals. Results: Four themes emerged—acceptance of suicidality, seeking and experiencing God's help, surrendering to God, and religion's influence on relationships—forming a framework on how relatives' religious convictions about suicide and the intensity of their personal relationship with God influenced to what extent religion was helpful or harmful. Discussion: Christian faith provided peace of mind and support to relatives who had a personal relationship with God and believed their loved one would go to heaven. Relatives who believed their loved one would go to hell due to suicide and lacked a relationship with God experienced guilt and fear, making them vulnerable to harm from religion. Implications for Practice: Educational institutions and policymakers should specifically empower nurses to discuss spiritual issues when supporting relatives of suicidal individuals. Relevance Statement: This study offers valuable insight into the role of religious beliefs and meaning-making influencing the experiences of Christian relatives living with a suicidal loved one. It highlights religion‘s role in their coping processes. The findings equip mental health nurses with a deeper understanding of religious coping strategies, enabling them to provide better support to relatives. Integrating spirituality/religion into support allows nurses to respond more holistically to relatives‘ needs, potentially improving their well-being and resilience. Spiritual care is a part of nursing, but nurses feel unprepared. It is recommended that education and policy focus on nurses to better support relatives.