Adjustment to the Death of a Loved One: An Early Assessment Approach - Dissertation Example

In this longitudinal study of bereaved adolescents, the study identified a cluster of symptoms that corresponded to the continuity of bond and unresolved loss with traumatic grief. Symptoms of Anniversary reactions like dreaming, talking, and visualization were observed against to the continuity of bonds. And the symptoms like yearning, crying, numbness, preoccupation with the deceased, functional impairment, are observed against to traumatic grief and poor adjustment to the loss constituted this cluster.

Continuity of bond was independent of depression despite the comorbidity of traumatic grief and depression in a substantial proportion of subjects. Depressed and nondepressed subjects were equally likely to develop traumatic grief. Also, traumatic grief and PTSD did not always overlap in the same subjects. The subjects response to effectiveness of factor of dependency vs intimacy could not be found out as most of the participants could not reveal much on intimacy. The subjects much Traumatic grief predicted the onset or course of depression and PTSD at follow-up, even after control for depression and PTSD at baseline.

These results suggest the distinctiveness of traumatic grief from depression and PTSD among adolescents exposed to death. The study also found the intersection point of transmission from unresolved loss to coping through continuity of bond within the 3 months of post-loss.