Internalized versus externalized continuing bonds: Relations to grief, trauma, attachment, openness to experience, and posttraumatic growth. Issue 2 (7th February 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Black, Joshua; Belicki, Kathryn; Emberley-Ralph, Jessica; McCann, Aubrey
• Is Part Of: Death studies. Volume 46:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 399
• Page End: 414
• Publication Date: 2022-02-07
• Subjects: Death -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Terminal care -- Periodicals; Death -- Moral and ethical aspects -- Periodicals; 306.9
• DOI: 10.1080/07481187.2020.1737274
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0748-1187

Abstract

Abstract: This research investigated the predictors of internalized versus externalized continuing bonds to examine whether internalized bonds are more associated with adaptive adjustment to bereavement than externalized. Four studies were conducted: two of romantic partner loss ( n = 268 & 218), one of dog or cat loss ( n = 199), and one of prenatal loss ( n = 226). Participants completed questionnaires online. As predicted, the use of internalized continuing bonds was related to indicators of positive adaptation to grief (e.g. more secure attachment to deceased) while externalized was more strongly associated with indicators of clinical distress (e.g. greater trauma symptomatology).