Early indicators of a problematic grief trajectory following bereavement

Abstract

Background: For clinical purposes, it would be useful to have knowledge of early indicators of problematic PGD trajectories. Objective: The aim of this study was to identify classes of bereaved individuals with similar trajectories of PGD symptoms and to identify symptoms predicting the classes with a problematic grief trajectory. Method: Using data from 166 Dutch bereaved individuals, we conducted a latent class analysis to identify classes of bereaved individuals with similar trajectories of PGD symptoms between two time points (six and 18 months, respectively). Next, we used Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) analysis to examine which early symptoms best predicted membership of a class with a problematic grief trajectory. Results: We found two classes with a problematic grief trajectory in adults over the first two years after a loss. Daily endorsement of yearning, feeling stunned, anger and/or feeling that life is empty could act as early indicators of these two classes. Conclusions: This first study about early indicators of problematic grief trajectories among adults will help caregivers to identify bereaved individuals at risk for developing psychopathology.