Factor structure and concurrent construct validity of ICG among bereaved substance users

It is important to understand the repercussions of Complicated Grief (CG) symptoms in addictions. There are no studies to date which have examined the psychometric properties of any test of bereavement among people with substance use disorder (SUD). Participants with SUD can have a different experience of bereavement from other people and therefore could respond differently to the usual instruments which assess CG symptomatology.

This study aims to establish the psychometric properties of the Spanish adaption of the Inventory of Complicated Grief (ICG) in a sample of 196 bereaved drug dependent patients.

Results indicate that the internal consistency of the Spanish ICG was high (Cronbach’s alpha=0.922). The Spanish IDC shows good psychometric properties and it is a useful tool to discriminate adaptive reactions to symptomatology of complicated grief. Four factors were identified: discomfort, non-acceptance, loneliness-isolation and presence of deceased. Those factors showed a good internal reliability (minimum Cronbach’s alpha=0.78).

The results of the current study confirm the multidimensionality of CG’s symptomatology construct.