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.
An Investigation of the Relationship of Personality, Coping, and Grief Intensity Among Bereaved Mothers
Authors:
Robinson, Tristan
Marwit, Samuel
Source:
Death Studies: 2006. Volume 30, pp. 677-696.
Summary
After the death of a loved one, the bereaved may experience significant
distress. The researchers sought to discover whether personality variables and differing coping strategies influenced the way individuals experience grief. The researchers particularly wanted to examine how individuals with less adaptive traits, such as neuroticism, experience grief. Bereaved mothers were the focus of this study. Researchers found that the presence of neuroticism predicted higher levels of grief intensity. Effective coping strategies served to mediate grief intensity to some extent.
Key word: child, cope, mother, personality
Service Provider Implications
While coping strategies play a role in the mediation of personality factors in grief, the study suggests that coping strategies generally play a weaker role in influencing the intensity of grief than does neuroticism. Neuroticism significantly elevates grief intensity.
