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Caregivers of patients with disorders of consciousness: coping and prolonged grief
Author(s) -
de la Morena M. J. Elvira,
Cruzado J. A.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
acta neurologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.967
H-Index - 95
eISSN - 1600-0404
pISSN - 0001-6314
DOI - 10.1111/ane.12061
Subject(s) - denial , minimally conscious state , coping (psychology) , blame , persistent vegetative state , psychology , clinical psychology , grief , psychiatry , medicine , consciousness , psychotherapist , neuroscience
Objectives To study the relationship between coping strategies and prolonged grief disorder ( PGD ) in caregivers of patients with disorders of consciousness: vegetative state ( VS ) or minimally conscious state ( MCS ). Materials and methods Fifty‐three caregivers of 43 patients with VS or MCS were assessed using PG ‐12 and B rief COPE ‐28. Mean differences for each coping strategy between caregivers of patients with/without PGD were compared using B onferroni‐adjusted t ‐tests, and the size effect was calculated ( C ohen′s d). Results The frequency of PGD was very high ( n = 32; 60.40%). The most common coping strategies were problem‐focused: active coping (mean = 6.41; SD = 1.02), Instrumental support (mean = 6.41; SD = 1.06), Planning (mean = 6.32; SD = 1.01) and Acceptance (mean = 6.20; SD = 1.29). Acceptance predicted a lower presence of PGD ( P = 0.001; C ohen′s d = 1.02), while D enial ( P = 0.003; C ohen′s d = 0.98) and Self‐blame ( P = 0.004, C ohen′s d = 0.91) increased the presence of PGD . Conclusions The caregivers of patients with VS or MCS show a high risk of PGD . Problem‐focused coping strategies are the most used. Acceptance is highly protective of PGD , and D enial and Self‐blame are associated with an increased presence of PGD . PGD in caregivers of patients in VS or MCS should be evaluated, Acceptance and problem‐focused strategies should be promoted, and Denial and Self‐blame should be diminished.