Table 3 Definitions and Examples of... | Emerald Publishing

Table 3

Definitions and Examples of Meaning-Making Outcomes

Meaning-Making Processes	Definition	Participant	Example
Renewed outlook and appreciation for relationships and life experiences	Newfound perspective and recognition of how adversity has resulted in meaningful insight for participants and their sense of purpose.	James	“[Last October,] my dog who I had my entire life, I had to go and put her down, my girlfriend of a year broke up with me, I got fired from my job, a friend from high school killed himself. Every week was just a [expletive]. It’s been a rebuilding process really, and honestly if that hadn’t all happened, I would not be the person that I am today, and overall I like the person that I am today, so I’m grateful that it happened. I know that I wouldn't be thinking the things I am or wanting to do the things that I want to do if I hadn’t completely broken down.”
Redefined prosocial direction	Dynamic reshaping of participants’ scope for helping others and committing to social change.	Camila	“My mom came here when she was 19, so my age, and she came with no money in her pocket, coming here to work to support her family back in her country [sic], so seeing my mom like struggling and then raising [me and my brother].… When my parents got divorced it was all my mom on her own, and I’ve seen her work like 60 hours and take another part-time job. Like my goal hopefully is I don’t want my mom to be having to push and break her back 60 hours a week”
Centralization of purpose around adverse experiences	Focus of purpose on supporting and alleviating shared adverse experiences.	Charlotte	“I think it’s really important that I saw all of these racial injustices and all of these—and I was exposed to all of these diverse characteristics of people economically, religiously, racially and all of this, and it’s really contributed to my person now. So I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything, and I just want to get back to that.”

Meaning-Making Processes	Definition	Participant	Example
Renewed outlook and appreciation for relationships and life experiences	Newfound perspective and recognition of how adversity has resulted in meaningful insight for participants and their sense of purpose.	James	“[Last October,] my dog who I had my entire life, I had to go and put her down, my girlfriend of a year broke up with me, I got fired from my job, a friend from high school killed himself. Every week was just a [expletive]. It’s been a rebuilding process really, and honestly if that hadn’t all happened, I would not be the person that I am today, and overall I like the person that I am today, so I’m grateful that it happened. I know that I wouldn't be thinking the things I am or wanting to do the things that I want to do if I hadn’t completely broken down.”
Redefined prosocial direction	Dynamic reshaping of participants’ scope for helping others and committing to social change.	Camila	“My mom came here when she was 19, so my age, and she came with no money in her pocket, coming here to work to support her family back in her country [sic], so seeing my mom like struggling and then raising [me and my brother].… When my parents got divorced it was all my mom on her own, and I’ve seen her work like 60 hours and take another part-time job. Like my goal hopefully is I don’t want my mom to be having to push and break her back 60 hours a week”
Centralization of purpose around adverse experiences	Focus of purpose on supporting and alleviating shared adverse experiences.	Charlotte	“I think it’s really important that I saw all of these racial injustices and all of these—and I was exposed to all of these diverse characteristics of people economically, religiously, racially and all of this, and it’s really contributed to my person now. So I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything, and I just want to get back to that.”