Conceptually, descriptions typically involve restoration or reconstruction of meaning consisting of reappraised situational or global meaning to restore coherence (e.g., Pakenham, 2008c). Most of these studies characterized meaning made as having found an understanding both of why the event happened and positive implications, as delineated by Janoff-Bulman and Frantz (1997), although some emphasized understanding (e.g., Dirksen, 1995) and others emphasized experiencing positive lessons (e.g., McLean & Pratt, 2006). A few studies considered additional aspects (e.g., identity reorganization; Neimeyer et al., 2006).
How common are meaning-making attempts? Perhaps partly because of the widely varying operational definitions of meaning-making attempts, reported estimates also vary widely. Many studies have indicated that meaning-making attempts following highly stressful events are a near-universal experience (Davis et al., 2000). For example, in Bulman and Wortman's (1977) classic study of individuals paralyzed in serous accidents, all 29 participants reported having asked, "why me?" (see also Silver et al., 1983). A study of spouses and parents bereaved due to motor vehicle accident 4-7 years previously reported that only 30% and 21% (respectively) reported they had never been concerned with "making sense of, or finding meaning in, their loss" and nearly all (85% of spouses and 91% of parents) had asked, "why me?" or "why my [spouse/child]?" (Lehman, Wortman, & Williams, 1987).
(...) However, as discusses earlier, meaning-making attempts can produce other meanings, including posttraumatic growth, changes in identity, and changes in situational and global meaning. As shown in Table 2, many of these meanings made have been positively linked to adjustment. For example, in a sample of people who had lost their homes in a fire, a more benign reappraised situational meaning of their loss was related to less distress (Thompson, 1985). Positive shifts in global meaning are also related to better adjustment. (...)
In sum, the question of whether meaning-making attempts are helpful to the extent that they lead to the actual making of meaning cannot yet be definitively answered, because so few studies have explicitly examined the necessary linkages and interactions. However, some preliminary conclusions can be drawn. Many studies have found links between meaning-making attempts (variously defined) and poorer adjustment, but those that have examined the conjoint relationships of meaning-making attempts and meaning made with adjustment, particularly those using longitudinal designs, suggest that meaning-making attempts that lead to meanings made can indeed be helpful (e.g., Manne et al., 2009). The limitation in most of the studies testing this linkage is that the measure of meaning-making attempts was unrelated to the measure of meaning made (e.g., Updegraff et al., 2008)
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