Grief Attack Questionnaire: Instrument construction and initial validation.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Bereavement Studies
• Mental Health

Background:

• Grief attacks, intense waves of anguish, are a common but poorly understood aspect of bereavement.
• Existing research lacks a clear symptomatology and validated measurement for grief attacks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the core dimensions of grief attacks.
• To develop and validate a self-report instrument (Grief Attack Questionnaire - GAQ) to measure grief attack intensity.
• To explore the triggers, frequency, duration, and coping mechanisms associated with grief attacks.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 247 bereaved adults was conducted.
• Factor analysis was used to identify the underlying dimensions of grief attacks.
• The Grief Attack Questionnaire (GAQ) was developed and its reliability and validity were assessed.

Main Results:

• Grief attacks were found to comprise four dimensions: panic, yearning, disorganization, and despair.
• The developed GAQ demonstrated good reliability and convergent validity.
• A GAQ score of 35 or higher showed high sensitivity but moderate specificity for identifying impairing grief levels.

Conclusions:

• Grief attacks are a multi-dimensional experience in bereavement.
• The GAQ is a reliable and valid tool for assessing grief attack intensity.
• The GAQ can aid in identifying individuals experiencing significant distress from grief attacks.