Early indicators of problematic grief trajectories following bereavement. (29th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Djelantik, A. A. A. Manik J.; Smid, Geert E.; Kleber, Rolf J.; Boelen, Paul A.
• Is Part Of: European journal of psychotraumatology. Volume 8(2017)Supplement 6
• Publication Date: 2017-12-29
• Subjects: Prolonged Grief Disorder -- trajectory -- grief -- indicators -- screening tool -- PGD -- loss -- bereaved individual; Trastorno por duelo prolongado -- Trayectoria -- Indicadores -- Instrumento de discriminación -- TDP -- perdida -- persona en duelo; 延长哀伤障碍 -- 轨迹 -- 哀伤 -- 指标 -- 筛选工具 -- PGD -- 丧失 -- 丧亲者; We found two classes with a problematic grief trajectory in adults over the first two years after a loss. The endorsement of symptoms 'yearning', 'stunned', 'life is empty' and 'bitterness' as present 'often' could act as early indicators of a problematic grief trajectory.; Post-traumatic stress disorder -- Periodicals; Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic; Post-traumatic stress disorder; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; Fulltext; Internet Resources; Periodicals; 616.8521
• DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2018.1423825
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2000-8198

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Background : Little is known about the development of Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) symptoms over time in adults. For clinical purposes, it would be useful to have knowledge about early indicators of a problematic grief trajectory. Objective : This study aimed to identify classes of bereaved individuals with similar trajectories of PGD symptoms and to design a provisional screening tool including symptoms predicting membership of classes with problematic grief trajectories. Method : In a Dutch sample of 166 bereaved individuals, we conducted a latent class analysis to identify classes of bereaved individuals with similar trajectories of PGD symptoms between two time points (mean of 6 and 18 months post-loss, respectively). Next, we used Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analyses to examine which symptoms at baseline best predicted membership of classes with problematic grief trajectories. Results : We found four different classes: a class including individuals with persistent high PGD symptoms (class 1, 6%), a class of individuals with persistent moderate PGD symptoms (class 2, 35%), a class of individuals with slightly decreasing moderate PGD symptoms (class 3, 33%) and a class of individuals with persistent low PGD symptoms (class 4, 26%). The endorsement of symptoms 'yearning', 'stunned', 'life is empty' and 'bitterness' as present 'often' during the preceding month at baseline best-predicted membership of class 1 or 2. Conclusions : Two classes of individuals with problematic grief trajectories were identified. Four symptoms were found which could act as early indicators of these two classes in a provisional screening tool.