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The authors investigated the importance of dreams of the deceased in the experiencing of prolonged grief (PG) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among Cambodian refugees who survived the Pol Pot genocide (1975-1979). Such dreams were frequent in the last month (52% of those surveyed), and most often involved a relative who died in the Pol Pot period. Past month frequency was correlated with PG severity ("r" = 0.59) and PTSD severity ("r" = 0.52). The dreams were almost always deeply upsetting because the dreams indicated the deceased to be in a difficult spiritual state. Dreams of the deceased as a central component of PG and PTSD among Cambodian refugees is discussed. (Contains 3 figures and 2 tables.)

The present study examined the effects of attachment style and continuing bonds, defined as the extent to which a bereaved individual feels that the deceased remains a part of his/her life, on post bereavement adjustment among 71 conjugally bereaved individuals. It was shown that bereaved individuals with an anxious attachment style tended to show more externalized continuing bonds as well as more grief symptoms. An anxious attachment style played a direct and significant role in post bereavement adjustment over and above the contribution of externalized continuing bonds. Interventions to facilitate restoration tasks and to reduce externalized continuing bonds would be discussed. (Contains 5 tables.)

This study examined type of continuing bonds (CB) expression in relation to risk factors for complicated grief and measures of bereavement-related adjustment. Externalized CB expressions involving illusions and hallucinations with the deceased were distinguished from internalized CB expressions involving use of the deceased as an autonomy promoting secure base. 502 bereaved participants completed over the internet a CB measure assessing externalized and internalized CB along with various known risk-factor measures that included cause of death (i.e., violent vs. non-violent death), responsibility for the death, and attachment style as well as measures of psychological adjustment that included complicated grief symptoms, perceived physical health, and personal growth. As predicted, externalized CB was positively associated with violent death and responsibility for the death, whereas internalized CB was negatively associated with these risk factors as well as uniquely positively linked to personal growth. The implications of the findings for the role of CB in adjustment are discussed. (Contains 4 tables and 1 figure.)

This study examined the impact of attachment on grief severity following the death of a pet. Seventy-one participants who had lost a dog or cat within the past year completed a set of measures that included an attachment measure assessing individual differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance, strength of the past attachment to the pet, the continuing bond with the deceased pet, social support, and complicated grief symptoms. Attachment anxiety and strength of the past attachment to the pet were each uniquely predictive of more severe grief. Furthermore, the continuing bond to the deceased pet partially mediated the impact of strength of the past attachment to the pet on grief severity. No significant mediators of the effect of attachment anxiety on grief were found, however. The results highlight the importance of distinguishing strength of attachment from attachment security in examining the effect of attachment on response to pet loss. (Contains 7 tables and 1 figure.)

Much of the contemporary bereavement literature on the continuing bond to the deceased (CB) has emphasized its adaptiveness and given limited attention to when it may be maladaptive. The attachment literature on disorganized-unresolved attachment classification in relation to loss, or "unresolved loss," is informative in identifying CB expressions that are indicative of failure to integrate the death of a loved one. In this article, an important linkage is identified between a prominent indicator of unresolved loss that involves a lapse in the monitoring of reasoning implying disbelief that the person is dead and the clinical writings of J. Bowlby (1980) and V. D. Volkan (1981) on maladaptive variants of CB expression. The aim is to highlight the value of the attachment literature on unresolved loss in clarifying the conditions under which CB is likely to be maladaptive.

An attachment theory based perspective on the continuing bond to the deceased (CB) is proposed. The value of attachment theory in specifying the normative course of CB expression and in identifying adaptive versus maladaptive variants of CB expression based on their deviation from this normative course is outlined. The role of individual differences in attachment security on effective versus ineffective use of CB in coping with bereavement also is addressed. Finally, the moderating influence of type of loss (e.g., death of a spouse vs. child), culture, and religion on type of CB expression within an overarching attachment framework is discussed.

This study examined the continuing bond (CB) to the deceased in coping with the death of a husband. Fifteen early-bereaved widows whose husband had died 4 months previously and 15 later-bereaved widows whose husband had died more than 2 years ago were electronically signaled every 3 hours to complete a set of measures that included the PANAS positive and negative mood scales and CB coping. Participants completed these measures 4 times each day for 14 successive days. Following from an attachment theory perspective on the role of CB in providing felt security, it was hypothesized that CB would be effective as a way of coping in mood regulation, but that its effectiveness would be moderated by time since the death. Consistent with predictions, a positive within-person relationship was found between CB coping and positive mood for the later-bereaved group, but not for early-bereaved widows. CB coping was also positively related to negative mood for both early, and later-bereaved widow groups, however. Finally, in a lagged analysis, greater use of CB was predictive of a shift toward more negative mood among early-bereaved widows, but not for later-bereaved widows. The results were discussed in the context of previous literature on the function of CB in adaptation to bereavement.

This study examined type of continuing bonds (CB) expression in relation to risk factors for complicated grief and measures of bereavement-related adjustment. Externalized CB expressions involving illusions and hallucinations with the deceased were distinguished from internalized CB expressions involving use of the deceased as an autonomy promoting secure base. 502 bereaved participants completed over the internet a CB measure assessing externalized and internalized CB along with various known risk-factor measures that included cause of death (i.e., violent vs. non-violent death), responsibility for the death, and attachment style as well as measures of psychological adjustment that included complicated grief symptoms, perceived physical health, and personal growth. As predicted, externalized CB was positively associated with violent death and responsibility for the death, whereas internalized CB was negatively associated with these risk factors as well as uniquely positively linked to personal growth. The implications of the findings for the role of CB in adjustment are discussed. DOI: 10.1080/07481180903372269

This study examined the impact of attachment on grief severity following the death of a pet. Seventy-one participants who had lost a dog or cat within the past year completed a set of measures that included an attachment measure assessing individual differences in attachment anxiety and avoidance, strength of the past attachment to the pet, the continuing bond with the deceased pet, social support, and complicated grief symptoms. Attachment anxiety and strength of the past attachment to the pet were each uniquely predictive of more severe grief Furthermore, the continuing bond to the deceased pet partially mediated the impact of strength of the past attachment to the pet on grief severity. No significant mediators of the effect of attachment anxiety on grief were found, however. The results highlight the importance of distinguishing strength of attachment from attachment security in examining the effect of attachment on response to pet loss.

The role of the continuing bond to the deceased in adjustment to bereavement has been given considerable attention in the bereavement literature. It is increasingly recognized that it is a normative part of adjustment to the loss of a loved one and that it can be adaptive. It may be the case however that a continuing bond to the deceased may also be maladaptive under certain conditions. In this special topic series of articles, the implications of a continuing bond for ajustment to bereavement is addressed. Conceptually and empirically focused papers as well as clinically oriented papers on the continuing bond to the deceased have been included in order to provide the reader with a broad sampling of contemporary work in this area. The aim is to inspire further thinking and research on this topic as well as to promote greater awareness among grief counselors and practitioners on the importance of the continuing bond to the deceased in working with the bereaved.

Much of the contemporary bereavement literature on the continuing bond to the deceased (CB) has emphasized its adaptiveness and given limited attention to when it may be maladaptive. The attachment literature on disorganized-unresolved attachment classification in relation to loss, or 'unresolved loss,' is informative in identifying CB expressions that are indicative of failure to integrate the death of a loved one. In this article, an important linkage is identified between a prominent indicator of unresolved loss that involves a lapse in the monitoring of reasoning implying disbelief that the person is dead and the clinical writings of J. Bowlby (1980) and V. D. Volkan (1981) on maladaptive variants of CB expression. The aim is to highlight the value of the attachment literature on unresolved loss in clarifying the conditions under which CB is likely to be maladaptive.

An attachment theory based perspective on the continuing bond to the deceased (CB) is proposed. The value of attachment theory in specifying the normative course of CB expression and in identifying adaptive versus maladaptive variants of CB expression based on their deviation from this normative course is outlined. The role of individual differences in attachment security on effective versus ineffective use of CB in coping with bereavement also is addressed. Finally, the moderating influence of type of loss (e.g., death of a spouse vs. child), culture, and religion on type of CB expression within an overarching attachment framework is discussed.

This study examined the continuing bond (CB) to the deceased in coping with the death of a husband. Fifteen early-bereaved widows whose husband had died 4 months previously and 15 later-bereaved widows whose husband had died more than 2 years ago were electronically signaled every 3 hours to complete a set of measures that included the PANAS positive and negative mood scales and CB coping. Participants completed these measures 4 times each day for 14 successive days. Following from an attachment theory perspective on the role of CB in providing felt security, it was hypothesized that CB would be effective as a way of coping in mood regulation, but that its effectiveness would be moderated by time since the death. Consistent with predictions, a positive within-person relationship was found between CB coping and positive mood for the later-bereaved group, but not for early-bereaved widows. CB coping was also positively related to negative mood for both early, and later-bereaved widow groups, however. Finally, in a lagged analysis, greater use of CB was predictive of a shift toward more negative mood among early-bereaved widows, but not for later-bereaved widows. The results were discussed in the context of previous literature on the function of CB in adaptation to bereavement.

In non-Western societies, two-way communication between the bereaved and deceased is important in distinguishing adaptive versus maladaptive continuing bonds (CBs). We examined CBs expressed in dreams among Cambodian survivors during the Pol Pot era. Participants completed measures addressing dreams of the deceased, complicated grief (CG), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Participants who reported distressing dreams were more likely to have witnessed violent deaths of loved ones during the Pol Pot era and reported more severe CG and PTSD symptoms relative to those reporting other types of dreams. Distressing visitation dreams were shown to mediate the effect of violent loss on CG but not on PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]