Effects of attachment bereavement and pre-event conditions on subsequent depressive symptoms in older adults.
A sample of 1,411 older adults (age 55+) who had been interviewed both prior to and after bereavement were studied, allowing for pre-event controls. Those who had lost a parent, spouse, or child had the strongest depressive reactions, as predicted by an attachment-bonding hypothesis; however, material losses were also related to depression. Although bereavement/loss events were clearly related to subsequent depression even after pre-event depression, resources, and events were controlled, certain pre-event characteristics were predictive of the bereavement/loss events, including prior undesirable events, age, and urban/rural residency. A further analysis of 1,007 persons with two post-event interviews (at 6-month to 1-year follow-up) revealed an initial depressive reaction to a bereavement/loss event, which then dissipated completely within 1 year's time. Generally, bereavement appeared to have limited etiologic importance.
Murrell
S A
SA
University of Louisville.
Himmelfarb
S
S
D000275:Adjustment Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010556:Personality Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D012944:Social Support