Do positive psychological states shed light on recovery from bereavement? Findings from a 3-year longitudinal study

The purpose of the current study was to document the course and 1-month post-bereavement predictors of both positive and negative psychological states in bereaved gay male caregivers for 3 years following the death of their partners. The results show that although the patterns of post-bereavement depressive mood and positive psychological states were similar, some of their predictors differed. Given that the processes that produce positive psychological states are not the same as those that produce negative states, our findings support the inclusion of both positive and negative psychological states in studies of post-bereavement adjustment.