The National Archive of Grief Support Studies
The National Archive of Grief Support Studies(NAGSS) database provides bibliographical information and summaries of recent articles selected for their relevance to grief and bereavement service providers. The articles that are summarized are selected from scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and are intended to highlight key concepts as well as provide a brief statement of implications for service providers. Bibliographical information may be used to obtain the original article.
The Two-Track Model of Bereavement Questionnaire (TTBQ): Development and Validation of a Relational Measure
Authors:
Rubin, Simon S.
Nadav, Ofri B.
Malkinson, Ruth
Koren, Dan
Goffer-Shnarch, Moran
Michaeli, Ella
Source:
Death Studies: 2009, 33, pp. 305-333.
Summary
This article describes the Two-Track Model of Bereavement (TTMoB) and the development of a questionnaire, the Two-Track Bereavement Questionnaire (TTBQ) that utilizes concepts from the TTMoB. The TTMoB is based upon the theory that the two primary factors involved in bereavement are the biopsychosocial changes that occur following the death of a loved one, and the continuing relationship that the bereaved has with the deceased family member. Thus, the TTMoB directly incorporates the concept of continuing bonds as a critical element in the bereavement experience. The authors discuss the controversy regarding the adaptiveness of maintaining continuing bonds compared to detaching emotional connections with the deceased, and argue that regardless of the adaptiveness of continuing bonds, the importance of the relationship between the bereaved and the deceased is clear. Using a statistical analysis of the TTBQ, the authors conclude that a more intense grief experience is associated with a close and positive relationship with the deceased, with a perception of the loss as a traumatic experience, and with generally lower biopsychosocial functioning. The authors conclude that the TTBQ is a reliable and valid measurement tool for assessing bereavement.
Key Words: validation, bonds, adapt
Service Provider Implications
Service providers should be familiar with the current discussions regarding the importance of continuing bonds. Service providers involved in assessing grief may wish to investigate the use of the Two-Track Bereavement Questionnaire.
