Faculty, Staff and Student Publications
Publication Date
1-1-2024
Journal
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Abstract
Background: Persistent Complex Bereavement Disorder (PCBD) comprises a set of grief symptoms that are often linked to other psychological conditions such as PTSD and depression, may be prevalent in Veterans with combat experience, and may also impact general health.
Objective: This study investigated the association between grief and sleep, pain, PTSD, and depression, among Veterans participating in a clinical trial for PCBD treatment.
Method: Data from 155 Veterans receiving treatments for PCBD were analysed to explore the association between PCBD and symptoms of sleep pain, PTSD, and depression. Veterans experiencing grief reported symptoms related to physical health, emotional problems, energy, and fatigue, emotional well-being, social functioning, presence of pain, and general health. PCBD appeared to have a specific association with pain and physical functioning, independent of other variables.
Conclusions: This study examined the potential independent association of PCBD on physical and mental health in Veterans with PTSD. PCBD appeared to have a very specific and significant association with pain and physical functioning. In other words, the pain of grief was related to ratings of physical pain. Future research on PCBD should address the potentially bidirectional association with bodily pain, particularly chronic pain, in relation to loss, with specific attention to potential mechanisms underlying this relationship.
Keywords
Humans, Veterans, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Male, Quality of Life, Grief, Female, Adult, Pain, Depression, Middle Aged, Complex bereavement, grief, pain, quality of life, PTSD, trauma
DOI
10.1080/20008066.2024.2402627
PMID
39292650
PMCID
PMC11411555
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
9-18-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Post-print
Published Open-Access
yes
Included in
Medical Sciences Commons, Mental and Social Health Commons, Psychiatry Commons, Psychiatry and Psychology Commons