title: Type of continuing bonds expression and its comforting versus distressing nature: implications for adjustment among bereaved mothers.
abstract: This study investigated type of continuing bonds (CB) expression and its comforting versus distressing nature in relation to psychosocial adjustment among bereaved mothers. Twenty-eight mothers whose child had died within the previous five years participated in a CB interview in which they rated the extent they used each of 11 different types of CB expression during the past month and the degree to which they experienced each of the CB expressions as comforting and distressing. CB expressions involving illusions and hallucinations of the deceased child were predictive of greater distress whereas those involving belief that the deceased child was aware of the mother or communicating with her through dreams were not associated with symptoms, but instead linked to greater spirituality. Furthermore, mothers who reported CB as more comforting than distressing had lower symptom ratings. The implications of the findings for the attachment theory perspective on unresolved loss are discussed.
authors: Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA. nfield@paloaltou.edu
authors: Nigel P
authors: NP
authors: Field
authors: Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.
authors: Wendy
authors: W
authors: Packman
authors: Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.
authors: Rama
authors: R
authors: Ronen
authors: Pacific Graduate School of Psychology at Palo Alto University, Palo Alto, California 94304, USA.
authors: Angeliki
authors: A
authors: Pries
authors: School of Nursing, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
authors: Betty
authors: B
authors: Davies
authors: School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
authors: Robyn
authors: R
authors: Kramer
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D001293:Attitude to Death; D001601:Bereavement; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008016:Life Change Events; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D009769:Object Attachment; D029181:Spirituality