"Exploring an Unrecognized Grief: A Quantitative Study of Older America" by Yongqiang Zheng, Jeongah Kim et al.
 

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

In the United States, older parents who have experienced the
death of their only child constitute an extremely understudied
group. Based on a conceptual framework developed from
Worden’s “mediators of mourning,” this cross-sectional study
hypothesized that older bereaved parents who experience
severe grief symptoms would differ from those with less
severe grief on age, time since death, attachment style, coping
strategy, social support, and spirituality. It further aimed to
investigate the association between the above factors and
aggravated or alleviated grief symptoms. A sample of 183
bereaved adults over age 50 was recruited and an online sur-
vey was utilized to collect data. A 47.54% prevalence rate
of Prolonged Grief Disorder was found in the sample.
Participants who experienced more severe grief showed sig-
nificant differences in the aforementioned study variables,
compared to those who experienced less severe grief. Results
of the hierarchical multiple regression model indicated that
the higher severity of grief symptoms was related to utilizing
more avoidant coping strategies and having a fearful attach-
ment style. Less severe grief was associated with increased
time since death, a greater perception of social support from
friends, and more daily spiritual experiences. As the U.S. popu-
lation ages and more families have only one child, it is
imperative that academic and helping professionals recognize
older bereaved parents’ unique vulnerability and develop
effective intervention strategies. This study reinforces the call
for increased social awareness and acceptance of prolonged
grief and policy changes to address the needs of older
bereaved parents.

Comments

Originally published in Journal of Loss and Trauma. 2023. Volume 29. Issue 5. Pages 577–599.

https://doi.org/10.1080/15325024.2023.2285969

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