Ambivalence and other relationship predictors of grief in psychiatric outpatients

Ambivalence has been viewed as an important causal agent in the development of complicated grief. However, examination of studies commonly cited as supporting this belief reveals basic limitations in their methodology and conclusions. The current study examined associations between several relationship predictors (ambivalence, affiliation, and dependence) and both grief-specific symptoms and depression in two samples of psychiatric outpatients who had experienced loss of significant others. Findings from the first sample (N = 138) were used to test for evidence of cross-validation in the second sample (N = 139). Contrary to traditional belief, ambivalence was inversely related to severity of grief symptoms. In contrast, affiliation and dependence were directly related to severity of grief symptoms. None of the predictors provided evidence of cross-validation in the case of depression. Explanations for the findings and clinical implications are considered.