Guilt in bereavement: The role of experiential avoidance and rumination

Guilt is a common emotional response to bereavement and has been associated with prolonged grief symptoms. Experiential avoidance and rumination are associated with the persistence of grief related symptoms, yet their role in explaining how guilt contributes to grief severity remains unclear. This study examined whether experiential avoidance and rumination mediate the association between guilt and prolonged grief symptoms in bereaved adults. A community sample of 690 Portuguese adults who experienced an expected or unexpected loss completed measures of guilt, experiential avoidance, rumination, and grief. Mediation analyses revealed significant indirect effects of experiential avoidance and rumination (injustice, meaning, and relationship) on the association between guilt and prolonged grief symptoms, alongside a significant direct effect of guilt. These findings suggest that guilt may exacerbate grief through avoidance and repetitive negative thinking processes, identifying potential mechanisms that may serve as targets for prevention and intervention efforts.