Growing in times of grief: Attachment modulates bereaved adults' posttraumatic growth after losing a family member to cancer. Issue 1 (30th November 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Xu, Wei; Fu, Zhongfang; He, Li; Schoebi, Dominik; Wang, Jianping
• Is Part Of: Psychiatry research. Voume 230:Issue 1(2015)
• Page Start: 108
• Page End: 115
• Publication Date: 2015-11-30
• Subjects: Grief -- Posttraumatic growth -- Attachment anxiety -- Attachment avoidance -- Moderating effect; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; Psychiatry -- periodicals; Psychiatrie -- Périodiques; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.08.035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0165-1781

Abstract

Abstract: This study explored whether attachment moderated the relationship between grief and posttraumatic growth. A total of 240 Chinese adults who have lost a family member to cancer reported on their grief (Prolonged Grief Questionnaire-13; PG-13), posttraumatic growth (Posttraumatic Growth Inventory; PTGI) and attachment (Experiences in Close Relationships; ECR). The results suggested that bereaved individuals who scored high on attachment anxiety showed a substantial and positive relationship between grief and posttraumatic growth, while their less anxiously attached counterparts showed no such association. Attachment avoidance was not significantly related to the association between grief and posttraumatic growth. Findings indicated that individuals high in attachment anxiety have the potential to benefit and gain from the process of adapting to the loss. The implications of the results for relevant research and grief counseling were discussed. Highlights: The participants were all Chinese bereaved adults whose family member died of cancer. Attachment anxiety moderated the link between grief and Posttraumatic grwoth (PTG). Attachment avoidance didn't moderate the link between grief and PTG.