Loss-related Variables and Symptoms of Prolonged Grief: The Mediating Role of Grief Rumination

Can, Aylin (2025) Loss-related Variables and Symptoms of Prolonged Grief: The Mediating Role of Grief Rumination. Master thesis, Psychology.

Text MASTER-THESIS-KP-AYLIN-CAN.pdf Restricted to Repository staff only Download (402kB)

Abstract

This study examined whether grief rumination mediates the relationship between loss-related variables (i.e. cause of death and relationship to the deceased) and prolonged grief symptoms. Based on existing literature, it was hypothesized that loss by unnatural causes of death (vs. natural causes) and the loss of a partner or child (vs. other relationships) would be associated with higher levels of grief rumination and prolonged grief symptoms, and that grief rumination would mediate these associations. Cross-sectional survey data were available from 288 Dutch adults who were bereaved 12 months or more. Grief rumination was measured using the Utrecht Grief Rumination Scale (UGRS) and prolonged grief symptoms were measured using the Traumatic Grief Inventory – Self Report Plus (TGI-SR+). Two separate mediation analyses were conducted using PROCESS-macro (Model 4; Hayes, 2017), with cause of death and relationship to the deceased as the independent variables, grief rumination as the mediator and prolonged grief symptoms as the dependent variable. Grief rumination significantly mediated the relationship between cause of death and prolonged grief symptoms and the relationship between relationship to the deceased and prolonged grief symptoms. The findings support the role of grief rumination as a key cognitive mechanism in the relationship between these loss-related variables and prolonged grief symptoms. Interventions that target grief rumination, particularly in severely distressed individuals who experienced unnatural loss, may be beneficial. To clarify the temporal dynamics of these mediation models, future research could explore longitudinal designs. Keywords: grief rumination, prolonged grief, prolonged grief symptoms, bereavement

Item Type:	Thesis (Master)
Supervisor name:	Eisma, M.C.
Degree programme:	Psychology
Differentiation route:	Clinical Psychology (CP) [Master Psychology]
Date Deposited:	01 Oct 2025 11:46
Last Modified:	01 Oct 2025 11:46
URI:	http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/5953

Actions (login required)

View Item