An exploration of associations between separation anxiety in childhood and complicated grief in later life.
Recent studies have suggested that the vulnerability to complicated grief (CG) may be rooted in insecure attachment styles developed in childhood. The aim of this study was to examine the etiologic relevance of childhood separation anxiety (CSA) to the onset of CG relative to major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder in bereaved individuals. The Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV, Inventory of Complicated Grief-Revised, and CSA items from the Panic Agoraphobic Spectrum Questionnaire were administered to 283 recently bereaved community-dwelling residents at an average of 10.6 months postloss. CSA was significantly associated with CG (OR = 3.2; 95% CI, 1.2-8.9), adjusting for sex, level of education, kinship relationship to the deceased, prior history of psychiatric disorder, and history of childhood abuse. CSA was not significantly associated with major depressive disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, or generalized anxiety disorder.
Center for Psycho-oncology and Palliative Care Research, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and Department of Psychiatry, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 022115, USA.
Lauren C
LC
Vanderwerker
Selby C
SC
Jacobs
Colin Murray
CM
Parkes
Holly G
HG
Prigerson
D000367:Age Factors; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015897:Comorbidity; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires