42-2 Healing Objects and Their Role in the Grief Adaptation Process and Experience of Undergraduate Students
The purpose of this study was to understand the relationship between undergraduate students' healing objectives and grief adaptation process in terms of the experience, the effect, and the meaning. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 university students who voluntarily participated in this research. A phenomenological approach to data analysis was adopted, and the following 3 main themes and 10 subthemes emerged. Theme 1 - Interaction with healing objects includes: (a) the objects being used in private space and time; (b) interaction with personified objects by imagining that they possess human emotions; (c) relationship maintained for several years; and (d) identification by others did not affect personal feelings toward the objects. Theme 2 - Healing effects includes: (a) stabilization of emotions while expressing positive feelings; (b) healing effect could not be replaced by ＂human beings＂; and (c) grief gradually disappeared without being constrained by the objects. Theme 3 - Meaning of healing objects for undergraduates includes: (a) taking good care of the objects; essential materials might have changed but the symbolism could not be replaced; (b) the healing objects could ease as well as trigger grief; and (c) lessons learned from the healing objects are helpful for future grief adaptation. Based on these findings, this study suggests that practitioners should consider healing objects positively when performing grief counseling, explore the functions the objects serve and the meanings these objects manifest, and help clients develop specific coping perspective and resilience in facing their adversities.
Keywords
grief adaptation ； healing objects ； undergraduate students
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