Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.

<h4>Background</h4>Cognitive behavioural correlates to bereavement-related mental health problems such a Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are of theoretical and clinical importance.<h4>Methods</h4>Individuals bereaved at least six months...

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Main Authors: Kirsten V Smith, Anke Ehlers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2021-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248852
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author Kirsten V Smith
Anke Ehlers
author_facet Kirsten V Smith
Anke Ehlers
author_sort Kirsten V Smith
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Background</h4>Cognitive behavioural correlates to bereavement-related mental health problems such a Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are of theoretical and clinical importance.<h4>Methods</h4>Individuals bereaved at least six months (N = 647) completed measures of loss-related cognitions and behaviours (i.e., loss-related memory characteristics, negative appraisals, coping strategies, grief resilience, and perceived social disconnection) and measures of PGD and PTSD symptoms. Individuals were assigned to one of four groups depending on probable clinical diagnoses (No-PGD/PTSD, PTSD, PGD, PGD+PTSD).<h4>Results</h4>Results indicated that higher loss-related memory characteristics and lower grief resilience increased the likelihood of a clinical problem. The PGD and PGD+PTSD groups reported significantly higher loss-related memory characteristics and appraisals compared to the PTSD group. Social disconnection increased the likelihood of comorbid PGD+PTSD in comparison to any other group.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Results indicate cognitive differences between loss-related cognitions, memory characteristics and coping strategies between PGD and PTSD, and points to distinct cognitive correlates to psychopathology following loss.
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spelling doaj-art-dd65b67dbde345edbe6b3decd8fdc4cf2025-08-20T02:22:21ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032021-01-01164e024885210.1371/journal.pone.0248852Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.Kirsten V SmithAnke Ehlers<h4>Background</h4>Cognitive behavioural correlates to bereavement-related mental health problems such a Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are of theoretical and clinical importance.<h4>Methods</h4>Individuals bereaved at least six months (N = 647) completed measures of loss-related cognitions and behaviours (i.e., loss-related memory characteristics, negative appraisals, coping strategies, grief resilience, and perceived social disconnection) and measures of PGD and PTSD symptoms. Individuals were assigned to one of four groups depending on probable clinical diagnoses (No-PGD/PTSD, PTSD, PGD, PGD+PTSD).<h4>Results</h4>Results indicated that higher loss-related memory characteristics and lower grief resilience increased the likelihood of a clinical problem. The PGD and PGD+PTSD groups reported significantly higher loss-related memory characteristics and appraisals compared to the PTSD group. Social disconnection increased the likelihood of comorbid PGD+PTSD in comparison to any other group.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Results indicate cognitive differences between loss-related cognitions, memory characteristics and coping strategies between PGD and PTSD, and points to distinct cognitive correlates to psychopathology following loss.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248852
spellingShingle Kirsten V Smith
Anke Ehlers
Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.
PLoS ONE
title Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.
title_full Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.
title_fullStr Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.
title_full_unstemmed Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.
title_short Prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other: An investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences.
title_sort prolonged grief and posttraumatic stress disorder following the loss of a significant other an investigation of cognitive and behavioural differences
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0248852
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