Complicated spiritual grief I: relation to complicated grief symptomatology following violent death bereavement

Death Stud. 2014 Jan-Jun;38(1-5):259-67. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2013.829372. Epub 2013 Nov 11.

Abstract

Losing a loved one to violent death has been associated with poor mental health outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and complicated grief (CG), a protracted, debilitating, and sometimes life-threatening reaction to loss. In addition, recent research suggests that traumatic loss can violate mourners' basic assumptive worldviews, and can precipitate a spiritual crisis following loss, also known as complicated spiritual grief (CSG). The present cross-sectional study investigated these multidimensional outcomes in a diverse sample of 150 grievers. The authors found that (a) violently bereaved individuals reported greater CG and CSG than did individuals bereaved by natural death; (b) CG and CSG were correlated across the larger sample, and yet are theoretically different constructs; and (c) specific cause of death (natural anticipated, natural sudden, homicide, suicide, or fatal accident) differentially predicted levels of CG and CSG. Implications of these findings for a clearer understanding of spiritual coping in the wake of troubling loss are noted, as well as for intervention with mourners struggling with clinical complications.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Bereavement*
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Death*
  • Female
  • Grief
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Spirituality*
  • Violence / psychology*
  • Young Adult