The phenomenology of missing a deceased loved one in the context of different types of loss

Context and relevance. This study is situated within the framework of “continuing bonds”, which has replaced the “broken bonds” model in understanding grief. Within this paradigm, the current work addresses the phenomenon of missing a deceased loved one, which occupies an intermediate position between normal and pathological grieving processes. A key theoretical goal is to differentiate between the destructive “yearning” experience (a criterion for Prolonged Grief Disorder) and the adaptive “missing” process. While integrating the painful loss experience with the function of maintaining a connection, “missing” requires in-depth phenomenological analysis. Objective. To identify and characterize the invariant and varying patterns of experiencing missing a deceased loved one in the context of different types of loss (death due to illness, old age, or accident/violent death). Hypothesis. The experience of missing a deceased loved one is not a unitary phenomenon but is structured into stable, identifiable phenomenological patterns, each associated with a specific type of loss (cause of death). Methods and materials. The study involved 105 participants (mean age M = 28.3, SD = 7.69). The inclusion criteria were having experienced a loss and reporting a current experience of missing the deceased. The methodology comprised in-depth semi-structured interviews, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), content analysis, and statistical analysis (Pearson`s χ², Kruskal–Wallis H-test). Results. Key differences between missing and yearning lie in the domains of affective intensity, attention focus (past vs. existential void), functional direction (adaptation vs. disorganization), and attachment. Loss due to illness was associated with episodic, acute surges of missing, somatic symptoms, and need for support, alongside a tendency for the intensity to decrease over time. Loss due to old age was characterized by persistent, situationally conditioned background experience of missing, with emphasis on memory preservation and reflection on life value. Loss through accident was linked to the most intense and prolonged experience of missing, specific somatic reactions (numbness, goosebumps), sense of personal transformation, and absence of intensity reduction over time. Alongside these specific features, an invariant core of the phenomenon was identified across all groups: the dominance of sadness, cognitive activity (memories, mental conversations), contextual conditioning (triggers), and an ambivalence of negative and positive aspects. Conclusions. Three phenomenological patterns of experiencing missing, associated with the circumstances of loss, were empirically identified: wave-like pattern (illness), background pattern (old age), and disorganizing pattern (sudden death). The structural heterogeneity of the phenomenon has been established, comprising both an invariant core and variable characteristics. The study confirms the dual nature of missing, which functions simultaneously as a resource for adaptation and a potential source of yearning — a maladaptive experience devoid of constructive potential.