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Although experiences of loss and the consequent grief are natural in human life, some individuals may have difficulty managing these events, to the point of developing significant impairment in their functioning in important life areas. Given this, the present research aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Adult Attitude to Grief scale (AAG) to facilitate research on adult vulnerability to grief among Italian-speaking populations. A sample of 367 participants (Mage = 30.44, SD = 11.21; 78% females) participated in this research. A back-translation procedure was implemented to develop the Italian AAG. Then, participants completed the Italian AAG alongside a battery of other self-report psychometric scales in order to assess aspects of the construct validity of the AAG: the Forty-Item Defense Style Questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale—Revised, and the Beck Depression Inventory–II. A bifactor structure was found to have the best fit to the data, supporting the possibility of using both the general factor (i.e., vulnerability) and three dimensions (i.e., overwhelmed, controlled, and resilient). Unlike the original version, the control dimension emerged as a “protective” factor in the Italian population, together with the resilient factor. Furthermore, results provided satisfactory indications of internal consistency and construct validity. In conclusion, the Italian AAG was shown to be a valid, reliable, quick, and easy-to-use scale that can be used both for research and clinical practice in the Italian context.

Although experiences of loss and the consequent grief are natural in human life, some individuals may have difficulty managing these events, to the point of developing significant impairment in their functioning in important life areas. Given this, the present research aimed to explore the psychometric properties of the Italian version of the Adult Attitude to Grief scale (AAG) to facilitate research on adult vulnerability to grief among Italian-speaking populations. A sample of 367 participants (Mage = 30.44, SD = 11.21; 78% females) participated in this research. A back-translation procedure was implemented to develop the Italian AAG. Then, participants completed the Italian AAG alongside a battery of other self-report psychometric scales in order to assess aspects of the construct validity of the AAG: the Forty-Item Defense Style Questionnaire, the Impact of Event Scale—Revised, and the Beck Depression Inventory–II. A bifactor structure was found to have the best fit to the data, supporting the possibility of using both the general factor (i.e., vulnerability) and three dimensions (i.e., overwhelmed, controlled, and resilient). Unlike the original version, the control dimension emerged as a "protective" factor in the Italian population, together with the resilient factor. Furthermore, results provided satisfactory indications of internal consistency and construct validity. In conclusion, the Italian AAG was shown to be a valid, reliable, quick, and easy-to-use scale that can be used both for research and clinical practice in the Italian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Grief is a reaction to a significant loss that can profoundly affect all aspects of life and capacity to function well. The consequences can vary from severe psychological distress through to physical disturbances and significant social problems. This study sought to identify a measure of vulnerability in grief, by examining the psychometric properties of the Adult Attitude to Grief (AAG) scale in a sample of 168 people seeking help in their bereavement. Methods The factor structure of the scale, its internal consistency, its construct validity and optimum classification cutoffs were tested. Results Confirmatory factor analysis broadly supported the factor structure of the AAG, but identified one item that could profitably be reworded. Internal consistency of the three subscales was acceptable. Construct validity and discriminative validity were supported by correlations with allied constructs (depression and anxiety) and a significant difference between scores for clients with Prolonged Grief Disorder and those without. A correlation with counsellors' own clinical ratings of vulnerability demonstrated criterion-related validity of the AAG. Using receiver operating characteristic methods, optimum cutoff scores on the scale were identified for the classification of different levels of vulnerability. Conclusion The AAG was found to be a psychometrically promising tool for identifying vulnerability in grief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]