title: Emotional and physiological reactivity in Complicated Grief.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Grief is a psychobiological response to the loss of a loved one. Some grief theorists suggest that this predictable response may arise from withdrawal of psychobiological regulation previously provided by the deceased (e.g. assistance with emotion regulation). Accordingly, recovery from loss may require bereaved individuals to re-establish self-regulatory control to avoid developing Complicated Grief (CG). This model implies that adults with CG may exhibit aberrant emotional responding to environmental stimuli. The present study was designed to test this hypothesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  We recruited a sample of 23 bereaved adults with CG and 26 healthy bereaved adults to complete an emotional reactivity paradigm. Participants watched a series of emotional film clips and provided measures of their self-reported emotional response. We also assessed their heart rate, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and skin conductance level in response to these clips.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Though emotional and physiological differences between the groups were rare, the CG group exhibited attenuated RSA reactivity to some emotional film clips, suggesting blunted parasympathetic nervous system reactivity in those with the disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Limitations include the modest sample size and unequal group sizes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals with CG do not exhibit pervasive differences in emotional and physiological reactivity compared to healthy bereaved individuals. However, we did observe evidence of blunted parasympathetic nervous system reactivity in individuals with CG, which may mediate emotional inflexibility among those who develop the disorder.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, United States. Electronic address: nleblanc@fas.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Nicole J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: LeBlanc
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, United States.
authors.forename: Leslie D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Unger
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Harvard University, United States.
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: McNally
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006117:Grief; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009040:Motion Pictures; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D065809:Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia / Q000502:physiology; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attachment; Complicated Grief; Emotion; Grief; Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder; Psychophysiology