Public Attitudes About Normal and Pathological Grief

Penman, Emma L; Breen, Lauren J.; Hewitt, Lauren Y.; Prigerson, Holly G.

doi:10.1080/07481187.2013.873839

Cited by 38 publications

(42 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The first two scales assessed participants' expectations of grief and intentions to provide support to the person in the vignette. Participants' expectations of the severity and intensity of the target figure's grief was measured using the 12-item expectations of grief symptomatology scale previously published by Penman, Breen, Hewitt, and Prigerson (2014) as a modified version of prolonged grief disorder scale. This revised scale asks participants to rate a series of grief symptoms (e.g., How often do you think this person would be avoiding reminders that the person lost is gone?)…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social support following bereavement: The role of beliefs, expectations, and support intentions

et al. 2017

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Social support is one of the strongest determinants of bereavement outcomes, yet little is understood about the community's recognition of grief and intentions to provide social support to grieving persons. A total of 476 adults responded to an online vignette and questionnaire measuring grief norms and supportive intentions. Respondent gender, age, and bereavement status all had some association with expectations of grief, intentions to support, perceived helpfulness of support attempts, and opinions toward the diagnostic classification of grief. Given that most bereavement support is informal, this study informs the development of community capacity to provide constructive, timely bereavement support.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Social support following bereavement: The role of beliefs, expectations, and support intentions

et al. 2017

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“…The findings reported in this paper were part of a larger international study exploring public perceptions of grief after bereavement (Penman et al, 2014). The data reported in this paper are drawn from the final two questions of the survey which explored participants' opinions concerning grief as a proposed mental disorder.…”

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 98%

Can Grief be a Mental Disorder?

Breen¹,

Penman²,

Prigerson³

et al. 2015

Journal of Nervous &Amp; Mental Disease

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Despite growing empirical evidence, the distinction between normal and pathological grief remains controversial. Few studies have investigated public attitudes towards distinguishing normal from pathological grief. An international sample of 348 participants from a wide range of cultures was asked if certain expressions of grief could be considered a mental disorder and to explain their answer. Analysis revealed that the majority (74.7%) agreed that grief could be considered a mental disorder. The presence of pervasive distress, of harm to self and/or others, functional impairment, and persistent grief were described as the circumstances under which grief can be a mental disorder. Reasons grief is not a mental disorder were that it is normal, temporary, in response to an event, and that efforts to include it in diagnostic manuals will lead to medicalization and stigma. The investigation of public norms informs the inclusion of pathological grief in diagnostic nosology.

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“…The role of meaning-making interventions in stimulating adaptation was also noted by participants. The assumption that grief resolves in time is a prevalent cultural expectation (Penman, Breen, Hewitt, & Prigerson, 2014). This perception was challenged through BC.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clients’ Perspectives on Outcomes and Mechanisms of Bereavement Counselling: A Qualitative Study

Klasen

Bhar

Ugalde

et al. 2017

Australian Psychologist

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Objectives Bereavement counselling (BC) seeks to address pervasive grief and facilitate healthy adaptation to loss. There is limited understanding of BC outcomes and the mechanisms that facilitate outcomes. Quantitative measures tend to focus on clinical rather than salutogenic outcomes such as post‐traumatic growth. Furthermore, there is limited research about the contribution that client and counsellor attributes and the therapeutic alliance make to effective outcomes. This study addressed two questions: What are the outcomes of BC for clients? What are the mechanisms of BC that generate these outcomes? Method Participants were 16 former clients of an Australian specialist BC centre. A semi‐structured interview was conducted to generate information about clients’ BC experience. Responses were subjected to thematic analysis. Results Three themes were induced from the data. First, Seeking Bereavement Counselling: I was desperate. I knew I needed help, comprised recognition of need and help seeking behaviour. Second, Working Collaboratively: Let's work together to see what we can achieve, incorporated client and counsellor attributes, collaborative therapeutic relationship, and client centred interventions. Third, Appraising Efficacy: I'm learning to live again, included reduction in grief symptomatology, adaptation to loss, and positive growth. Conclusion Participants offered detailed information about their experience of BC. The study highlighted three important mechanisms of BC that enable positive outcomes for participants: client agency, client‐counsellor collaboration, and person centred interventions. The study supports BC as a relational context where the salient needs of bereaved people are respected and addressed, enabling change to occur.

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Public Attitudes About Normal and Pathological Grief

Cited by 38 publications

References 31 publications

Social support following bereavement: The role of beliefs, expectations, and support intentions

Social support following bereavement: The role of beliefs, expectations, and support intentions

Can Grief be a Mental Disorder?

Clients’ Perspectives on Outcomes and Mechanisms of Bereavement Counselling: A Qualitative Study

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