When the mirror breaks: Meaning-making in twin loss

Despite well-documented intimacy within twin relationships, meaning-making processes following twin loss remain underexplored. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), this study investigated how individuals reconstruct meaning after losing a twin. Semi-structured interviews with eleven adult twins who lost a twin identified two primary themes: (a) physical amputation and (b) alone in a world meant for two. Participants utilized embodied metaphors like “amputation” and “tear,” emphasizing the existential rupture and incompleteness resulting from their loss. Twinship was depicted as fundamentally relational, shaping self-perception and life narratives. Findings underscore the need to recognize bereaved twins as a distinct group requiring specialized therapeutic support, guided by relationally sensitive meaning reconstruction approaches. Future research should examine cross-cultural contexts and potential differences between identical and fraternal twins.