Meaning in Suffering: The significance of others in one's sense of self after an experience of suffering

This study examined the meanings people make out of their experience of suffering and how these meanings relate to their sense of self. Twenty-six interviews with Middlebury College students were conducted and thirteen interviews were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results showed that participants' meanings fell under two main themes: dimensions of understanding the self and belonging in the social network. These two themes point to how experiences of suffering impact how emerging adults experience their sense of self within their worlds (individual-level, interpersonal-level, and transcendental/human-level), and within their interpersonal dynamics (with support, healthy relationships, and deeper connections and appreciation of others). Future research should look into how people integrate others into their sense of self depending on the type of suffering they have experienced.