Instruments for measuring grief in bereaved adults: a protocol for a COSMIN-based systematic review

Area of Science:

• Psychology and Mental Health Research
• Psychometric Evaluation of Health Measures
• Bereavement and Grief Studies

Background:

• Bereavement involves complex psychological, physiological, and behavioral responses to loss, increasing risks for adverse health outcomes.
• Existing grief assessment tools vary in cultural context and development quality, necessitating rigorous psychometric evaluation.
• Standardized methods are crucial for assessing the reliability, validity, and responsiveness of grief instruments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically identify and evaluate the psychometric properties of grief assessment instruments used in bereaved adults.
• To apply the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instrument (COSMIN) methodology for standardized evaluation.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for the selection and use of grief measurement tools.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across 9 databases (7 English, 2 Chinese) until March 1, 2025.
• Inclusion of studies focusing on psychometric properties of grief instruments for bereaved adults.
• Adherence to COSMIN guidelines for instrument evaluation, including risk of bias assessment and qualitative synthesis of psychometric properties.

Main Results:

• The review will aggregate and synthesize psychometric data (reliability, validity, responsiveness) for various grief assessment instruments.
• Methodological quality and risk of bias will be assessed using COSMIN criteria.
• Evidence quality will be appraised using a modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach.

Conclusions:

• This study will offer a comprehensive evaluation of grief assessment instruments based on standardized psychometric criteria.
• Findings will guide clinicians and researchers in selecting appropriate tools for measuring grief in bereaved populations.
• Recommendations will enhance the scientific rigor and clinical utility of grief assessment.