Post‐Traumatic Growth and Optimism as Outcomes of an Internet‐Based Intervention for Complicated Grief

This study looked at the loss of a parent in adulthood and whether this was followed by post-traumatic growth? Participants, 100 bereaved adults, from Pakistan and England, lost parents in the last 10 years. They completed three questionnaires. The study hypotheses were, first, that participants whose bereavement occurred more than five years ago would show significantly higher levels of post-traumatic growth. Second, participants with higher levels of post-traumatic growth would experience significantly higher grief scores. Thirdly, participants with higher levels of post-traumatic growth would show significantly higher levels of coping skills. Two hypotheses were rejected, only one received partial support. Yet, levels of post-traumatic growth were high in this sample. Post-traumatic growth does not follow every bereavement. The authors provide autoethnographic material to challenge this. Circumstances surrounding bereavement during the Covid-19 pandemic, are more likely to lead to increases in complicated grief reactions, rather than post-traumatic growth.

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Attachment Style, Complicated Grief and Post-Traumatic Growth in Traumatic Loss: The Role of Intrusive and Deliberate Rumination

Psychiatry Investigation ◽

10.30773/pi.2019.0291 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 17 (7) ◽

pp. 636-644

Author(s):

Hyu Jung Huh ◽

Kyung Hee Kim ◽

Hee-Kyung Lee ◽

Jeong-Ho Chae

Keyword(s):

Attachment Style ◽

Indirect Effect ◽

Attachment Styles ◽

Complicated Grief ◽

Attachment Anxiety ◽

Equation Modeling ◽

Traumatic Loss ◽

Attachment Avoidance ◽

Post Traumatic Growth ◽

Post Traumatic

Objective The present study examines the effects of attachment styles on the grief response and the indirect effect of rumination in parents who lost a child in the Sewol Ferry accident.Methods Bereaved parents (n=81) completed self-report questionnaires evaluating their attachment style (Experience in Close Relationship-Short form), traumatic loss related rumination (Event-Related Rumination Inventory), degree of complicated grief (Inventory of Complicated Grief), and post-traumatic growth (Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory). Data were analyzed using correlation analysis, structural equation modeling, and bootstrapping.Results The indirect effect of event-related intrusive rumination was significant in the relationship between attachment avoidance and complicated grief. The path from attachment avoidance to post-traumatic growth via deliberate rumination was not significant. With respect toattachment anxiety and post-traumatic growth, the indirect effect of deliberate rumination was significant. But the indirect effect of intrusive rumination was not significant in the relationships among attachment anxiety, complicated grief, and post-traumatic growth.Conclusion Individuals with attachment anxiety could obtain post-traumatic growth via deliberate rumination. By contrast, attachment avoidance was associated with the risk of maladaptive grief. Grief interventions should account for individual differences in attachment styles through interventions that manage intrusive rumination and strengthen deliberate rumination.

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The Burn Behind the Bullet: Understanding Black Mothers’ Experiences After Losing a Child to Gun Violence in Washington, DC-Baltimore City Metropolitan Region

10.48091/gsr.v1i2.20 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 28-42

Author(s):

Denzell Brown

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Stress ◽

Depressive Symptomatology ◽

Complicated Grief ◽

Gun Violence ◽

Washington Dc ◽

Policy Recommendations ◽

Black Mothers ◽

Post Traumatic Stress ◽

Post Traumatic Growth ◽

Post Traumatic

The purpose of this research article is to examine how complicated grief, post-traumatic stress, and depressive symptoms induced from losing a child to gun violence affect traits of resilience and post-traumatic growth among a sample of Black mothers living in Washington DC and Baltimore, Maryland. This research project was executed by surveying 4 Black mothers who lost a child to gun violence (B.M.C.G.V.) that resided in the Baltimore-Washington area to assess grief, traumatic stress, and depression. Participants also completed an oral interview that focused on resilience, post-traumatic growth, and policy recommendations. Findings associated with post-traumatic stress indicated that all Black mothers in this study reported it was somewhat true that they avoid things that remind them of their loved ones (n= 4, 100%), and 3 out of 4 of the mothers felt cut off or distant from other people since their loved one died (n= 3, 75%). Outcomes related to complicated grief revealed that all mothers in this study reported that they felt a great deal of loneliness since their child had died (n= 4, 100%). Moreover, 3 out 4 B.M.C.G.V. reported that memories of their child made them upset in the last past 7 days (n= 3, 75%). Results aligning with post-traumatic growth displayed that all Black mothers in this study reported it was mostly true that they learned they were stronger than they originally thought they were after losing a child to gun violence (n=4, 100%). Additionally, 3 out of 4 Black mothers in this study stated that it is mostly true that they developed a strong religious faith upon losing a child to gun violence (n= 3, 75%). Furthermore, 3 out of 4 Black mothers in this study reported that they found a stronger sense of purpose in life upon losing a child to gun violence (n = 3, 75%). Findings related to depressive symptomatology contained a large amount of variation and did not produce any significant results. The data results from the oral interview indicated that 9 common characteristics emerged from Black mothers who lost a child to gun violence in this study which included Black mothers explaining their character traits as Loving, Committed, and Strong. Subsequently, Black mothers classified their coping strategies as Active Coping (Embracing Self-love, Forgiveness, and Faith in God) and Avoidant Coping (Denial, Betrayal, and Not Coping). Lastly, Black mothers’ policy recommendations in this study focused on themes such as Demanding resources and Laws on gun violence prevention.

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