Social problem solving in complicated grief.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated social problem solving (SPS) and autobiographical memory specificity in complicated grief (CG).


METHODS
The study employed a cross-sectional design, comparing the responses of bereaved individuals with and without CG.


METHODS
Twenty-one individuals with CG and twenty-two No-CG bereaved individuals completed a means-ends problem-solving (MEPS) task and a cue word autobiographical memory retrieval task (AMT).


RESULTS
CG was associated with significantly poorer performance on the MEPS and AMT tasks. After controlling for levels of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder, CG remained a significant independent predictor of MEPS scores. Categoric recall was not an independent predictor after controlling for symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
This finding indicates that CG is associated with deficits in SPS, which may contribute to maintenance of deficits associated with CG.
Maccallum
Fiona
F
University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Bryant
Richard A
RA
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001601:Bereavement; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D011340:Problem Solving; D012919:Social Behavior