Date of Award

8-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Psychological Science

Department

Psychology

First Reader/Committee Chair

Lewin, Michael

Abstract

Grief/bereavement is a normal emotional process that individuals experience upon the death of a loved one. Complicated grief or prolonged grief disorder results when grief becomes prolonged and associated with impairment in functioning (Howarth, 2011; Al-Gamal et al., 2018). Previous research has found a positive relationship between prolonged grief and depression. Moreover, research has found that the relationship between grief and depression was strongest under conditions of low peer support (Al-Gamal et al., 2018). Previous research on psychological inflexibility has found a positive relationship with grief and psychological distress, and a negative relationship with psychological well-being (Howell & Demuynck, 2021). Based upon the literature, we hypothesized that complicated grief would be directly related to psychological well-being and depression and that the strength of these relationships would be influenced by two moderators: psychological inflexibility and social support. Specifically, we presented a moderation model with the interaction of psychological inflexibility and social support moderating the complicated grief and psychological well-being/depression relationships. There is currently no research that examines the simultaneous influence of these moderators on the relationship between complicated grief and psychological well-being and depression. Participants were psychology undergraduate students who reported experiencing the death of loved one within the past 2 years, completed an informed consent, and a series of questionnaires that assessed the hypothesized concepts. Study hypotheses were tested with correlational analyses, multiple regression and moderation analyses using SPSS PROCESS (Hayes, 2013). Results provided partial support for study hypotheses where the interaction of social support and psychological inflexibility moderated the prolonged grief and depression relationship. Findings are discussed in terms of practical guidance for clinicians when addressing complicated grief with clients.

Download

Share

COinS