The impact of after-death communications on grief and meaning-making among the bereaved: A qualitative systematic review

After-death communications (ADCs), perceived encounters with the deceased, are common yet often marginalized within bereavement research. This systematic review synthesized 14 qualitative studies involving 1,971 bereaved participants to explore the impact of ADCs on grief and meaning-making. A thematic synthesis, conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines and appraised using the CASP checklist, identified three overarching themes: (1) ADCs as Socially Mediated Grief Processes, (2) Negotiating Meaning in the Spiritual-Secular Divide, and (3) Dual-Edged Nature of ADCs: Reconciling Comfort and Conflict. ADCs were often interpreted as relationally meaningful experiences that facilitated continuing bonds with the deceased and catalyzed existential reappraisal. However, their integration was shaped by cultural norms, belief orientation, and interpersonal responses. Findings underscore that ADCs function as psychologically and existentially significant events whose therapeutic value lies in supporting meaning-making and affect regulation. Greater clinical openness and epistemic humility may foster more inclusive grief models responsive to such phenomena.