Factors Related to Complicated Grief among Bereaved Individuals after the Wenchuan Earthquake in China

BACKGROUND: The Wenchuan earthquake in China caused shock and grief worldwide. Sudden bereavement caused by the earthquake led to physical disorders as well as psychological disturbances in the bereaved individuals. The bereaved had a high risk for complicated grief (CG), which may have led to significant distress and impairment in their health. However, there was few available studies on CG among disaster-bereaved individuals in China after the disaster. The aim of this study was to identify factors (demographic characteristics and disaster-related variables) associated with symptoms of CG among the bereaved 18 months after the Wenchuan earthquake. METHODS: This study was conducted with a cross-sectional design and a convenience sample of 271 bereaved individuals from three of the hardest hit areas. Data were collected by questionnaires and the instruments used in the study were: General questionnaire and Inventory of CG (ICG). Multivariate linear regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with symptoms of CG. RESULTS: The mean score on ICG was 52.77 (standard deviation: 10.00). Being female and loss of a child were related to higher level of CG while having another child after the disaster and receiving psychological counseling experience were associated with lower level of CG. Forty-nine percent of the variance of CG was explained by these identified factors. CONCLUSIONS: Eighteen months after the Wenchuan earthquake, the symptoms of CG among the bereaved were higher than the previous studies with bereaved individuals. This study uncovers a vulnerable population of the bereaved at high risk for CG. Early assessments, targeted interventions, and policy support tailored for the disaster-bereaved individuals are necessary to identify and alleviate symptoms of CG and to improve their well-being.