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Background With the introduction of the prolonged grief disorder (PGD) in the ICD-11 and most likely in the future DSM-5-TR, there is clinical need to examine cultural variations in grief phenomenon. We tested whether grief symptoms differ cross-culturally by examining the prevalence rates and predictors of PGD among French and Togolese bereaved individuals. Methods The sample comprised 235 widowed persons (73 French and 162 Togolese participants). They all completed the Prolonged Grief Scale-11 items. There were no statistically significant differences between both groups in terms of sociodemographic information (except for education). However, they differed on loss-related characteristics. We used two different symptom-diagnostic tests to estimate the prevalence rates. Results We found that French and Togolese bereavers reported almost similar PGD prevalence rates (21.9% [95% CI 0.13, 0.36] and 15.4% [95% CI 0.10, 0.23], respectively for the first test, 26% [95% CI 0.16, 0.41] and 17.3% [95% CI 0.12, 0.25], respectively for the second test). Through regression analyses, PGD severity was predicted by low education, being unemployed, long duration of a marital relationship, and traumatic death in the French sample, whereas it was predicted by being male and highly educated in the Togolese sample. Both groups only shared a recent bereavement period as a common risk factor. Conclusions Even though French and Togolese widowed persons reported almost similar prevalence rates of PGD, etiology, risk, and protective factors are culturally distinctive. It is critical to consider cultural and individual differences when conducting research on diagnosis and intervention in cases of prolonged grief.

The current article focused on examining the potential benefits of the End-of-Life (EoL) informal caregiving, communication, and ritualistic behaviors in adaptation to the conjugal bereavement across two different cultural-background contexts: France and Togo, West Africa. The investigation adopted a transnational approach including a total of 235 bereaved spouses. Despite the variation in the length of time since death, no significant difference was found between the Togolese and French bereaved with respect to the level of complicated grief symptoms. However, the Togolese bereaved perceived a significant postloss growth, fostered by EoL communication with the dying and the performance of ritualistic behaviors. In the French sample, bereaved individuals who had experienced more intimate communication with their dying spouse reported a high level of postloss growth. Moreover, findings showed that EoL caregiving without ritualistic support or communication is associated with poor postbereavement outcomes. These findings suggest a clinical need to promote informal caregiving to the dying, communication with the dying, and ritualistic support during the process of dying as entangled components of EoL care.Résumé Dans cet article, nous avons examiné le potentiel effet positif de l'assistance au conjoint en fin de vie, de la communication avec lui et des actes rituels sur

Le deuil a été largement étudié par la psychanalyse. L’aptitude à la séparation mère-bébé l’est également par les spécialistes du développement infantile. Nous souhaitons former des ponts entre ces deux épistémologies pour démontrer que l’aptitude à la séparation permet la prédisposition au deuil. L’aptitude à la séparation résulte de la cessation de l’état fusionnel mère-bébé qui permet l’établissement de l’intersubjectivité puis de la subjectivité. Le rythme des interactions mère-bébé donne accès à la temporalité. Ces étapes sont essentielles pour le travail de la pensée nécessaire au deuil. Le bébé dont la mère est déprimée dès la naissance ne pourra pas développer son aptitude à la séparation dans une perpétuelle attitude de stimulation. L’enfant qui connaît la dépression maternelle aura les plus grandes difficultés à accepter son ambivalence. Nos illustrations thérapeutiques témoignent qu’il est possible maintenant de proposer une prévention de la dépression maternelle en maternité ou en pédiatrie.

Today every aspect of our life is published and shared online, including grief. The virtual cemeteries and social networks’ use could be considered as a new modern mortuary ritual. Starting from the keyword stillbirth, 50 videos published on YouTube since 2008 have been analyzed qualitatively. The videos, 70% published by the mother, with an average length of 5.52 minutes, a mean of 2,429,576 views and 2,563 of comments, follow a sort of script: the second part with black and white photos, background music, and religious references. Could the continuous access to the child’s technological grave encourage a complicated grief or be a support, given by the interaction with users, limiting the sense of isolation. The parent shows his or her own conceptions about death and, as a modern baptism, presents the child to the whole society. Videos keep child’s memory alive and fuel a process of personalization and tenderness in the user.