Grieving the Living: The Social Death of Former Jehovah ’s Witnesses

AbstractAddressing a relative lack of research investigating the experiences of individuals who have left the Jehovah ’s Witnesses (JW), this research utilizes a works draw on the social identity approach to examine qualitatively, the process of transitioning towards post-JW life, experiences of ostracism and perceived threats to self-identity. Semi-structured interviews were carried out in the homes of six form er JWs, and transcripts were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Narratives suggest that experiences of ostracism following religious exit can be associated with diminished mental health, while having a sense of agency and establishing new (online) social connections may help miti gate adverse consequences. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Source: Journal of Religion and Health - January 19, 2021 Category: Medical Ethics Source Type: research