Bereavement hallucinations after the loss of a spouse: Associations with psychopathological measures, personality and coping style. Issue 4 (21st April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kamp, Karina Stengaard; O'Connor, Maja; Spindler, Helle; Moskowitz, Andrew
• Is Part Of: Death studies. Volume 43:Issue 4(2019)
• Page Start: 260
• Page End: 269
• Publication Date: 2019-04-21
• Subjects: Death -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Terminal care -- Periodicals; Death -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Periodicals; 306.9
• DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2018.1458759
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0748-1187

Abstract

Abstract: Bereavement hallucinations (BHs) were assessed in 175 conjugally bereaved participants 4 years post loss, to explore whether BHs were: (a) associated with psychological distress and (b) predicted by sociodemographic variables, personality and/or coping style. Participants with BHs scored significantly higher than those without BHs on prolonged grief, post-traumatic stress, depression symptoms, and emotional loneliness. Hierarchical logistic regression analysis showed avoidant coping, openness to experience, and length of marriage to significantly predict BHs, while detached coping was negatively associated with BHs. This study suggests that BHs may be an indicator of psychological distress in bereavement.