Posttraumatic Growth in the Context of Grief: Testing the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory

In the context of traumatic grief, mindfulness might facilitate posttraumatic growth (PTG). The cognitive processes by which trait mindfulness predicts PTG, and for whom this pathway is most relevant, remains unclear. We tested the Mindfulness-to-Meaning Theory of grief in a cross-sectional study of mindfulness, meaning-making, and PTG among those who had lost a loved one. Mindfulness most strongly predicted higher PTG for individuals high in traumatic grief. Meaning-making mediated the effect of mindfulness on PTG most strongly for those low-to-average in traumatic grief. Results suggest meaning-making as a pathway, but may not explain the mindfulness-PTG link in more traumatized individuals.