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An exploratory study of self-reported complicated grief symptoms in parentally bereaved adults with intellectual disability
- Source :
- Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRReferences. 65(4)
- Publication Year :
- 2020
-
Abstract
- Background Complicated grief involves the experience of grief-related symptoms at a time, and severity, beyond which could be considered adaptive, while persistent complex bereavement disorder (PCBD) has been identified as a condition that requires further study in the typical population. The aims of this study are to (1) explore the symptoms of complicated grief associated with parental bereavement as self-reported by adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs) who have experienced a parental bereavement and (2) conduct an initial examination of how the existing criteria for PCBD apply to this group. Methods This study uses a comparative group design, assessing self and staff (proxy) reports for a group of parentally bereaved individuals and a matched group of non-bereaved individuals using the Complicated Grief Questionnaire - ID Self-Report. Participants were 46 individuals with ID, 30 (65%) of whom who had experienced a parental bereavement within the previous 2 years. The age range was 23-67 years (mean = 43.8; SD = 10.3). Results The results highlight the presence of a range of symptoms of complicated grief in individuals' self-reports, although there was some evidence that separation distress-related symptoms were more apparent. An analysis of individual symptoms showed patterns of higher reports among the bereaved group as would be expected. Comparing staff and self-reports, key criteria showed higher levels in self-reports among the bereaved group. Conclusions This study has demonstrated the capacity of people with ID to self-report personal experience of symptoms of complicated grief, when appropriate and accessible assessment tools are used. Some symptoms were more evident among bereaved individuals (compared with non-bereaved participants), and they tended to be from separation distress criteria. This may indicate the relevance of these symptoms for people with ID and question the existing criteria for PCBD in this population, which may have clinical implications for supporting people with ID experiencing a more complicated bereavement response.
- Subjects :
- Adult
030506 rehabilitation
Population
Exploratory research
03 medical and health sciences
Young Adult
Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)
Intellectual Disability
Surveys and Questionnaires
Intellectual disability
medicine
Humans
0501 psychology and cognitive sciences
education
Self report
Persistent complex bereavement disorder
Aged
education.field_of_study
05 social sciences
Rehabilitation
Middle Aged
medicine.disease
Complicated grief
Psychiatry and Mental health
Distress
Neurology
Matched group
Neurology (clinical)
Grief
Self Report
0305 other medical science
Psychology
050104 developmental & child psychology
Clinical psychology
Bereavement
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 13652788
- Volume :
- 65
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDRReferences
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....5c633beacf6de8cb2448ade8a4b6ecd0