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Exploring the multidimensional aspects of grief reactions
L A Vargas1, F Loya, J Hodde-Vargas
1Department of Psychiatry, University of California, Los Angeles.
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|November 1, 1989
Summary
Early grief reactions involve depressive symptoms, preserving the memory of the deceased, suicidal thoughts, and anger. These common bereavement features may indicate pathology based on their frequency and intensity.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Bereavement Studies
- Grief Research
Background:
- Grief reactions following loss are complex and vary widely.
- Distinguishing normal grief from pathological grief is a clinical challenge.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the multidimensional aspects of early grief reactions.
- To identify common factors within grief responses to different types of death.
Main Methods:
- Principal components analysis was used to analyze grief reactions.
- Data collected from 201 individuals bereaved by accidental, suicidal, homicidal, or sudden natural deaths.
Main Results:
- Four key factors emerged: depressive symptoms, preservation of the lost object, suicidal ideation, and decedent-directed anger.
- Features previously associated with pathological grief, like difficulty relinquishing the lost object, were common.
Conclusions:
- Common grief features may not solely indicate pathology.
- Pathological grief may be better assessed by the frequency and intensity of these features.