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Rumination moderates the role of meaning in the development of prolonged grief symptomatology
Author(s) -
Milman Evgenia,
Neimeyer Robert A.,
Fitzpatrick Marilyn,
MacKin Christopher J.,
Muis Krista R.,
Cohen S. Robin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.124
H-Index - 119
eISSN - 1097-4679
pISSN - 0021-9762
DOI - 10.1002/jclp.22751
Subject(s) - rumination , psychology , neuroticism , grief , meaning (existential) , spouse , mediation , developmental psychology , clinical psychology , complicated grief , risk factor , social psychology , personality , psychotherapist , psychiatry , medicine , cognition , sociology , anthropology , political science , law
Objective: To address the etiology of prolonged grief disorder (PGD) by examining whether rumination moderates the role of meaning‐making in mediating the impact of PGD risk factors. Method: A survey assessing PGD risk factors (low social support, insecure attachment, violent loss, neuroticism, and loss of a spouse), meaning, and rumination was administered 2–12 months postloss among adults across North America and Europe (mean age = 44.3, 71.9% female). At a 7–10 months follow‐up, symptoms of PGD were assessed ( n = 171). Results: When measuring meaning with the Grief and Meaning Reconstruction Inventory, the moderated mediation pathway was significant for each PGD‐risk factor. However, when measuring meaning with the Integration of Stressful Life Experiences‐Short Form, the pathway was significant for every risk factors except violent loss. Conclusions: Rumination appears to moderate meaning‐making in the development of PGD symptomatology. These findings highlight rumination as a target for intervention with at‐risk grievers.