A scale for predicting quality of recovery following the death of a partner.

Narrative accounts of bereaved partners of men with AIDS provided data regarding caregiving, bereavement, and the period immediately following bereavement. The findings of the Harvard Bereavement Study were used to develop the Bereavement Response Scale I (BR-I), containing 21 items within 6 categories. Total scores were correlated with scores from 4 mood measures taken at the time of bereavement and again 12 months following bereavement. A significant association was found with the Positive States of Mind Scale. Item analysis suggested that a shorter version containing 6 items, the Bereavement Response Scale II (BR-II), might be a more effective predictive instrument. Further development of the BR-I and BR-II is proposed as a means for using narrative data to predict bereavement outcomes.