Journal of Counseling Research

Objective: Traumatic grief in parents following the sudden and violent loss of a child shatters their meaning system and identity. However, some parents in cultural-religious contexts, drawing on spiritual resources, transform their grief into a process of self-reconstruction. This study aimed to discover and explain the model of sacred identity reconstruction following traumatic grief in parents of the martyrs of the Minab missile attack.

Method: This study used a qualitative approach with systematic grounded theory (Strauss & Corbin), conducted in 2026 in Minab County. Participants were 17 parents of martyrs (14 mothers and 3 fathers), selected through purposive sampling until theoretical saturation. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding.

Findings: The final model was conceptualized around the core category of "sacred identity reconstruction following traumatic grief." Causal conditions included "monotheistic worldview" and "sacred-oriented upbringing of children." The context was shaped by "Shi'a culture of martyrdom," "sanctification of place," "the family's spiritual lifeworld," "supportive extended family context," and "identity-affirming marital support." Parents used five strategies: "sacred interpretation of loss," "positive religious coping," "maintaining a symbolic bond with the martyr," "participation in collective rituals," and "social identity reconstruction." The outcome was "existential growth and transcendence," manifested in "consolidation of a new self-concept," "restoration of agency and direction," "emotional regulation and acceptance of loss," "deeper meaning and peace," and "social recognition and status."

Conclusion: Traumatic grief within the martyrdom discourse can be transformed from a purely pathogenic experience into a process of sacred identity reconstruction. These findings emphasize the necessity of attending to cultural-religious dimensions in grief interventions.