Department of Psychology, Aarhus University, Denmark.
Department of Psychology, Aarhus University, Denmark.
J Affect Disord. 2018 Feb;227:338-344. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2017.11.010. Epub 2017 Nov 8.
The loss of a spouse is a major life event. Previous research found that centrality of the loss to one's identity using Centrality of Event Scale (CES) is related to complicated bereavement reactions, such as depression, posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTS), and prolonged grief symptoms (PGS). This study aims to examine loss-centrality in elderly bereaved people up to 4 years post loss, to determine the relation of loss-centrality to complicated bereavement reactions, such as PGS, depression, and PTS, and to identify early predictors of loss-centrality.
Self-reported data were collected from 208 elderly bereaved people (mean age 72 years, 63.9% women), who completed measures of psychological distress (PTS, depression, PGS) as well as intra- and interpersonal factors (coping-style, crisis support, satisfaction with life, and NEO-PI-R) at 2, 6, and 48 months post spousal loss. CES was measured 48 months post spousal loss.
In line with previous findings (Boelen, 2012a), loss-centrality 4 years following the loss was significantly related to depression, PTS, and PGS. Additionally, early PGS and gender predicted later loss-centrality.
Self-repport data was used rather than clinical interviews. CES was only measured 48 months post loss. PGS was first measured 6 months post.
The results support the link between loss-centrality and post loss psychopathology in a population particularly vulnerable to complicated bereavement reactions. The close link between prolonged grief and CES may be relevant in developing treatments for PGS, especially considering the potential relationship between high CES, high PGS, and possibly lack of acceptance of the loss.
丧偶是一个重大的生活事件。先前的研究发现，使用事件中心性量表（Centrality of Event Scale，CES）衡量丧偶对个人身份的重要性与复杂的丧亲反应有关，例如抑郁、创伤后应激症状（Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms，PTS）和长期悲伤症状（Prolonged Grief Symptoms，PGS）。本研究旨在调查丧偶 4 年内老年人的丧失中心性，确定丧失中心性与复杂的丧亲反应（如 PGS、抑郁和 PTS）的关系，并确定丧失中心性的早期预测因素。
从 208 名老年丧偶者（平均年龄 72 岁，63.9%为女性）中收集自我报告数据，这些人在配偶去世后 2、6 和 48 个月分别完成了心理困扰（PTS、抑郁、PGS）以及内在和人际因素（应对方式、危机支持、生活满意度和 NEO-PI-R）的测量。CES 在配偶去世后 48 个月进行测量。
与先前的研究结果一致（Boelen，2012a），丧失后 4 年的丧失中心性与抑郁、PTS 和 PGS 显著相关。此外，早期的 PGS 和性别预测了后期的丧失中心性。
使用的是自我报告数据，而不是临床访谈。CES 仅在配偶去世后 48 个月测量。PGS 首次在 6 个月后测量。
这些结果支持了在一个特别容易出现复杂丧亲反应的人群中，丧失中心性与丧失后精神病理学之间的联系。长期悲伤和 CES 之间的紧密联系可能与 PGS 的治疗有关，特别是考虑到 CES 高、PGS 高和可能缺乏对丧失的接受度之间的潜在关系。
