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An exploration of gender and prolonged grief symptoms using network analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 September 2021

F. Maccallum Open the ORCID record for F. Maccallum [Opens in a new window] ,
M. Lundorff ,
M. Johannsen ,
I. Farver-Vestergaard  and
M. O'Connor
F. Maccallum*
Affiliation:
The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
M. Lundorff
Affiliation:
Unit for Bereavement Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Unit for Psycho-Oncology and Health Psychology, Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
M. Johannsen
Affiliation:
Unit for Bereavement Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Unit for Psycho-Oncology and Health Psychology, Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
I. Farver-Vestergaard
Affiliation:
Department of Medicine, Vejle Hospital, Vejle, Denmark
M. O'Connor
Affiliation:
Unit for Bereavement Research, Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark Unit for Psycho-Oncology and Health Psychology, Department of Oncology, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark Department of Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark The Danish National Centre for Grief, Copenhagen, Denmark
*
Author for correspondence: F. Maccallum, E-mail: f.maccallum@uq.edu.au
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Abstract

Background

Gender has been proposed as a potentially important predictor of bereavement outcomes. The majority of research in the field has explored this issue by examining gender differences in global grief severity. Findings have been mixed. In this study, we explore potential gender differences in grief using network analysis. This approach examines how individual symptoms relate to and reinforce each other, and so offers potential to shed light on novel aspects of grief expression across genders.

Method

Graphical lasso networks were constructed using self-report data from 839 spousally bereaved older participants (584 female, 255 male) collected at 2- and 11- months post-bereavement. Edge strength, node strength and global network strength were compared to identify similarities and differences between gender networks across time.

Results

At both time points, the strongest connection for both genders was from yearning to pangs of grief. Yearning, pangs of grief, acceptance, bitterness and shock were prominent nodes at time 1. Numbness and meaninglessness emerged as prominent nodes at time 2. Males and females differed in the relative importance of shock at time 1, and the female network had greater overall strength than the male network at time 2.

Conclusions

This study identified many similarities and few differences in the relationships between prolonged grief symptoms for males and females. Findings suggest that future studies should examine alternate sources of variation in grief outcomes. Limitations are discussed.

Keywords

Gendergriefnetworksprolonged grief
Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 53 , Issue 5 , April 2023 , pp. 1770 - 1777
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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