A confirmatory factor analysis of combined models of the Harvard Trauma Questionnaire and the Inventory of Complicated Grief-Revised: are we measuring complicated grief or posttraumatic stress?
The aim of this study was to assess the factorial structure of complicated grief (CG) and investigate the relationship between CG and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) through the assessment of models combining both constructs. The questionnaire was completed by elderly, married respondents with a history of at least one significant, interpersonal loss (145 males and 147 females, 60-81 years). Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) supported a two-factor model of separation and traumatic distress in CG. To investigate the relationship between CG and PTSD three combined models were specified and estimated using CFA. A model where all five factors, the two factors of CG and the three factors of PTSD, as defined by the DSM-IV, were allowed to correlate provided the best fit. The results indicated a considerable overlap between the dimensions of CG and PTSD, and complicated grief is construct that appears to be largely accounted for by especially the intrusive component of PTSD.
O'Connor
Maja
M
Department of Psychology, Aarhus University, Jens Chr. Skousvej 4, 8000 Arhus C, Denmark. maja@psy.au.dk
Lasgaard
Mathias
M
Shevlin
Mark
M
Guldin
Mai-Britt
MB
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001601:Bereavement; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires