@article{ref1,
title="Symptoms of prolonged grief, posttraumatic stress, and depression in recently bereaved people: symptom profiles, predictive value, and cognitive behavioural correlates",
journal="Social psychiatry and psychiatric epidemiology",
year="2019",
author="Boelen, Paul A. and Lenferink, Lonneke I. M.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="PURPOSE: Prior latent class analyses (LCA) have focused on people who were bereaved more than 6 months earlier. Research has yet to examine patterns and correlates of emotional responses in the first few months of bereavement. We examined whether subgroups could be identified among very recently (≤ 6 months) bereaved adults, based on their endorsement of symptoms of prolonged grief disorder (PGD), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and depression. Associations of class membership with overall disturbed grief, PTSD, and depression-assessed concurrently and at 6 months follow-up-were examined. Furthermore, we examined differences between classes regarding socio-demographics, loss-related, and cognitive behavioural variables. <br><br>METHODS: PGD, PTSD, and depression self-report data from 322 Dutch individuals bereaved ≤ 6 months earlier were subjected to LCA; N = 159 completed the follow-up assessment. Correlates of class membership were examined. <br><br>RESULTS: Three classes were identified: a low symptom class (N = 114; 35.4%), a predominantly PGD class (N = 96; 29.8%), and a high symptom class (N = 112; 34.8%). PGD, PTSD, and depression scores (assessed concurrently and at 6 months follow-up) differed significantly between classes, such that low symptom class < predominantly PGD class < high symptom class. Being a woman, younger, more recently bereaved, experiencing deaths of a partner/child and unnatural losses, plus maladaptive cognitions and avoidance behaviours were associated with membership of the pervasive symptom classes. <br><br>CONCLUSION: In the first 6 months of bereavement, meaningful subgroups of bereaved people can be distinguished, which highlights the relevance of early detection of people with elevated bereavement-related distress and offering them preventive interventions that foster adaptation to loss.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0933-7954",
doi="10.1007/s00127-019-01776-w",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00127-019-01776-w"
}